


Endeavour: Fire

by Parakeetist



Category: Endeavour (TV), Inspector Morse & Related Fandoms, Inspector Morse (TV)
Genre: England (Country), F/M, Murder Mystery, Mystery, Police Procedural, Screenplay/Script Format, Shooting
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-10-09
Updated: 2018-10-09
Packaged: 2019-07-28 10:32:39
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 1
Words: 35,261
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16239833
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Parakeetist/pseuds/Parakeetist
Summary: Set in Oxford, in the second half of 1969. A building burns to the ground. The circus rolls in. Endeavour’s relative pays a visit, for the first time in years. A baby boy needs a christening. Unwelcome gossip causes Joan to take drastic measures. Lewis and Valerie have a big day ahead. Also, there’s a cat. The Seventies are just around the corner.‘Elkwood’ was not a real drama show on the air in 1969. I made it up.Please note: story contains graphic violence, sexual situations, and foul language.Thanks very much. I hope you enjoy the story.





	Endeavour: Fire

Endeavour: Fire

by Parakeetist

 

Cast of Characters

Endeavour Morse  
Joan Thursday  
Robert Lewis  
Valerie Lewis  
Jim Strange  
Supt. Reginald Bright  
DCI Fred Thursday  
Dr. Max DeBryn

New characters

Joseph Matthew Morse, tiny baby  
WPC Noelle Manchek, first black female officer at station  
PC Ronald Barrow, first Asian officer at station  
Ron Elstridge, Chief of the Fire Department  
Gabriel Turner, circus worker  
Zachariah Cole, duty sergeant at the station  
DS Patrick Kessler, about to retire  
DI Oliver Hash, member of review board  
DI Norman Press, member of review board  
Shelly Bauer, sex worker, murdered  
Julie Bergen, sex worker, survived beating  
Ryan Claridge, laboratory technician  
Clay Morgan, canteen worker  
Donald Gate, new MP, who replaced Philip Fried  
WPC Andrea Miller  
Christopher South, landlord  
Stephen McLean, small-time criminal  
Barry Shell, drug dealer  
Edward Mercy, defense solicitor for Mr. McLean  
Brian Newman, DJ at classical station  
Vernon Hawk, his co-host  
Ensifer Leachman, building inspector  
Danielle Echelbaum, babysitter  
Magistrate Perris Cooper, local judge  
Rachel Fisk, Joan’s former housemate  
Cheryl Abramowitz, Joan’s former housemate  
Michael Burns, guest at restaurant  
Carla Gore, ticket seller at train station  
Malcolm Royce, manager at Lenore’s Restaurant  
Penelope Clovis, administrator at St. Ninian’s Church  
Deacon Erwin Watts, deacon at St. Ninian’s Church  
Rev. Martin Bury, priest at St. Ninian’s Church  
Emergency medical workers (EMTs)  
Waitstaff  
Popcorn seller  
Various police officers  
Various shop clerks and public employees

 

Act One, Scene One

(In a dark building, somewhere in Oxford.)

(Someone opens the door. They walk up to a pile of hay. They light a pitch torch. Then they touch it to the pile of hay. The light blossoms. The person walks out the door and shuts it behind them.)

(The fire grows, until it engulfs the wall of the building.)

(Camera view moves to down the street. One can see the entire building burst into flames.)

(Cut to: The next day. Endeavour Morse and some of his fellow officers from the police department are sitting in a football stadium. They are high up in the back, on bench seats. The popcorn seller comes by.)

Popcorn Guy: “Get your popcorn here! Popcorn!”

Jim: “Here, please.” (He holds up a pound note. The seller notices him, and hands him a box. Jim takes the change from the pound.) “Thanks.”

Popcorn Guy: “No problem.”

(Jim starts to eat.)

Endeavour: “Can I have some?”

Jim: “No.”

Endeavour: “Hey!” (He looks downcast.)

Jim: “Let me watch.”

(The action proceeds. An Oxford United player kicks the ball into the stands.)

Crowd: “Aaaaah!”

(The ball is thrown back, and play resumes.)

Endeavour: “So, how’ve you been, since-?”

Jim: “As you might expect. Been going to the shrink.”

Endeavour: “Did they give you medicine?”

Jim: “Yes. Istonil. Makes me sleepy.”

Endeavour: “Not now, I don’t hope?”

Jim: “No. I drank lots of fizzy drinks before I got here.”

Endeavour: “Good. I’m driving back.”

(The opposing team, Doncaster Rovers, scores a goal.)

Crowd: “Ohhhhh!”

Jim: “How’s your son? And where is he?”

Endeavour: “He’s with Joan. She was going to walk with him in the park.”

Jim: “Don’t you want to be with them?”

Endeavour (pause): “No.”

(Jim makes a face. Then he goes back to watching the match.)

Jim: “’A man who does not spend any time with his wife and children is not any kind of man at all.’ Don Corleone.” 

Endeavour: “Who?”

Jim: “’The Godfather.’ It’s a book. Came out in March.”

Endeavour: “Oh.”

(Rovers bounce a ball off the Oxford goal.)

Endeavour: “It’s nearly halftime.”

Jim: “Yeah. I’m going to get some ice cream when it’s time.”

(There is a dispute on-field between a player and the referee. It takes some minutes.)

(From down the street, there is the sound of several police cars zooming past.)

Endeavour: “Oh, what’s that?” (He cranes his neck, trying to see.)

Jim: “Our esteemed co-workers.”

Endeavour: “Where are they going?”

Jim: “To the outskirts, it sounds like.”

(Endeavour sits down.)

(The referee toots his whistle once, for halftime.)

Jim: “All right, I’m going to get the ice cream.”

(Over toward the middle of the stadium, a big fight breaks out.)

Jim: “Hey.”

(Endeavour and Jim both stand up.) 

(The unruly members of the crowd start to push and shove. The fight grows. Soon, people are exchanging punches with the police.)

Jim: “No, no.”

Endeavour: “We’d better get out of here. I’d rather lose money than get injured.”

Jim: “It’s my money, but point taken.”

(He makes his way out of the bench row, and down the aisle. Endeavour follows.)

(They walk all the way out to the parking lot, and get in Jim’s car.)

Endeavour: “Glad we made it.”

Jim: “Yeah. They’re going to be arresting people soon.”

Endeavour: “Do you think we should go back, just in order to-?”

Jim: “No. They’ve got more than enough officers there. They don’t need help.”

(Jim pulls the car out into traffic.)

Jim: “You want me to drop you off home?”

Endeavour: “No.”

(Jim raises his eyebrows.)

Jim: “Okay.”

(He keeps driving.)

(They take a turn for Abingdon.)

Endeavour: “Hey, this is-”

Jim: “Hrmm.” (He clears his throat.)

(He stops in front of Joan’s flat, and stares at Endeavour.)

Endeavour: “I’ll just be – I’ll-” (He pushes the door handle.)

Jim: “Think a minute, man. Think. You never seem to.”

(He pulls shut the door and drives away. Endeavour walks off.)

(Endeavour knocks on the door. Joan answers.)

Joan (pause): “Hello.”

Endeavour: “Hi.” (He smiles. Joan has a flat look on her face. She lets him in.)

(He puts away his coat.)

(The baby is in a carrier on the couch. There are smells of dinner coming from the kitchen.)

(Endeavour goes over to the baby and picks him up. He hugs the child and gives him a kiss.)

Endeavour: “Say hello.” (He gently turns the baby from side to side.) “Hey.” (He again kisses the baby.)

(The baby smiles and makes noises. Endeavour puts him back in the carrier.)

Endeavour: “What are you making?”

Joan: “Roast peppers and onions, and-” (She sneezes several times.) “Salmon.”

Endeavour: “You sound sick.”

Joan (quietly): “A little. Why don’t you have a seat?”

(Joan goes to the stovetop. She stirs the fish and peppers. Then she turns aside to sneeze again.)

Endeavour: “What happened?”

Joan: “Must have picked up hay fever when I was at the park.”

Endeavour: “Oh, no. Is the baby okay?”

Joan: “Yes.”

(She stirs the food a few more minutes, then puts it on plates. She puts the plates on the table, then adds a couple of glasses of fruit juice.)

(The baby starts to cry. Joan goes to him and puts him in the crib.)

(The baby’s room is now fully decorated, with light blue paint on the walls, cartoon character posters, and some stuffed animals and toys stashed on the bookcases and dresser.)

(A few minutes later, she walks back to the table.)

Endeavour: “Is he asleep?”

Joan (smiling a little): “For the moment.” (The both of them eat and drink for a little while.) “It’s strange, having a third little guest in the house.”

Endeavour: “Are you doing all right, in terms of your own health?”

Joan: “Well, I should maybe go lie down, later.” (She sips her drink and looks off into the distance.)

Endeavour: “Any problems with the – you know-” 

Joan: “If you mean hormones, so far, no.” (She takes another bite of her fish.) “But I’m keeping an eye on that. I’m not going to murder you in your sleep.”

(Endeavour laughs.)

Joan: “How was the match?”

Endeavour: “Well, DC Strange and I left early. A fight broke out. One of those big brawls. We didn’t want to stay for the worst of the violence.”

Joan: “That’s awful.”

Endeavour: “Yes. We also heard some patrol cars going toward something. Don’t know what it was.”

(The phone rings. Endeavour puts down his fork and picks up the receiver.)

Endeavour: “Yes?” (Pause) “Oh, no.” (He listens to the response.) “Well, I’ll have to – I was going to spend time with my-” (Pause) “All right. I’m coming in.” (He hangs up the phone.) “I’m sorry. I have to go work on a case.”

Joan: “But they gave you two months off, for paternity leave.”

Endeavour: “I’ll argue with the superintendent tomorrow. Please, don’t call him in my stead.”

Joan (nodding): “Okay.” (She sighs.) “It’s been good having you around.”

(He puts on his big coat. Then he goes to Joan and kisses her.)

(First he kisses her for a second. Then he grabs her, and kisses her much longer.)

Endeavour: “Remember me.” (He turns and walks out.)

(He goes to the car, and drives to the station.)

(Lewis meets him in the hall.)

Lewis: “It’s June, man. Aren’t you ever going to stop wearing that ghastly hot thing?” (He points to the other man’s jacket.)

Endeavour: “What is the case? Did you hear yet?”

Lewis: “No. I guess Bright will be telling us.”

Endeavour (scratching his ear): “Yeah. I have to wonder.”

(Supt. Bright walks into the hall.)

Bright: “Gentlemen. Late last night, there was an arson on the edge of town. Somebody set fire to a storage building. No one was injured, but the building was a loss.”

Endeavour: “Did they send out the fire investigators?”

Bright: “Yes, and you’re going to be working with them. Play nice.”

Endeavour: “We will.”

Bright: “We think the act was a warning to others. Of what, we can’t be sure. We’re still looking into the possibilities.”

Lewis: “Can we get going?”

Bright: “Yes. Take your camera, take everything.”

Lewis: “Yes, sir. Where was the building?”

Bright: “805 Edgerton Street. Off with you, then.”

(Lewis and Endeavour walk out to the car. They get in.)

(Endeavour turns on the classical station. Lewis buckles himself in.)

Lewis: “Do we have time to stop to eat?”

Endeavour: “No.”

(They head into traffic. Endeavour finds Edgerton Street.)

(They park down the block from the building. There are a cluster of fire department vehicles at the site. The detectives walk up to the scene.)

Endeavour: “Who’s in charge here?” (He and Lewis both show their IDs.) “We’re with the Thames Valley Police.”

Ron: “I’m Chief of the Fire Department.”

Endeavour: “Can we see the inside of the building yet?”

Ron: “In a minute. They’re still clearing some things.”

Endeavour (to Lewis): “You got your camera ready?”

Lewis: “Yes.” (He taps the case he carries strung over one arm.)

Endeavour: “Film in it?”

Lewis: “Yes, I checked.”

(In a few minutes, the fire chief waves them into the building.)

(A skeleton of beams remains. Most of the building has been destroyed.)

(Endeavour shines a flashlight before them. Lewis takes out his camera.)

(All around the floor are little spots with numbers. They represent key spots where an investigator saw something worthwhile.)

Lewis: “They can do that too?”

Endeavour: “Yes.”

(There are spots clumped in one corner of the room. Endeavour and Lewis walk over.)

Lewis: “Guess this is where the fire was set.” (He starts to take pictures.)

(Endeavour bends down and sniffs the air above the fire site.)

Lewis: “Seen you do that before.”

Endeavour: “It’s a natural reaction.”

Lewis: “What do you smell?”

Endeavour: “The torch was made out of pitch.”

Lewis: “Anybody could have told you that.”

Endeavour: “No, not quite.”

(Lewis puts away his camera. Endeavour puts on gloves, and hands him a pair. Lewis puts them on too.)

(Endeavour gently taps the ground. He looks at his fingers.)

Endeavour: “It’s pitch.”

Lewis: “Hmm.”

(Endeavour stands, with a groan.)

Lewis: “You okay?”

Endeavour: “My knees hurt. I could use a bath.”

Lewis: “Go home, see your fiancee, after we’re finished.”

Endeavour: “Will do.”

Lewis: “Aren’t you supposed to be fathering right about now?”

Endeavour: “Yes. Don’t know why they pulled me back for this case. Couldn’t they have gotten DC Strange to help you, or something?”

Lewis: “I guess. We’ll have to have fun until they say we can go home.” (He flashes a facetious smile.)

(They walk around collecting evidence for some time. When they are done, they check in with the fire chief.)

Ron: “Gentlemen, are you done?”

Endeavour: “Yes, we are, sir.”

Ron: “Thank you for your time.”

Endeavour: “You as well, sir.”

Lewis: “Are we dismissed?”

Ron: “Yes. You may go.”

(Lewis and Endeavour walk back to the car. They get in. Endeavour pulls away from the curb.)

Endeavour: “Do we have to write our reports tonight?”

Lewis: “Yeah, I think so. They want them as soon as possible, after events. I collected a lot of the burnt bits off the ground.” (He holds up an evidence bag.) “Hopefully, they’ll be able to sort through this quickly at the lab. I hate it when they take a long time, and they can’t find anything.”

Endeavour: “Yes.” (He turns up the music. The station is playing ‘The Flower Duet’ from ‘Lakmé’ by Delibes.) 

Lewis: “Nice harmony.”

(Endeavour nods.)

Lewis: “She dies at the end, you know.”

Endeavour: “I’ve seen it.”

(They drive back to the station, get out, and go inside.)

Lewis: “Let’s hurry up. I need to eat. Haven’t had a meal all day.”

Endeavour: “Don’t think the canteen’s open at this hour. You could get bacon crisps. That’s all.”

Lewis: “Thanks, I’ll wait.”

(The two men sit down at their desks and type.)

(Time passes. They finish their reports and put them in large envelopes.)

Endeavour: “Give this to Bright.”

Lewis: “I don’t think he’s here anymore. I’ll leave it in the tray in his office.”

(Lewis walks to the office, then returns.)

Endeavour: “Done?”

Lewis: “Done.”

Endeavour: “Let’s go.”

Lewis: “I want to go to Cahill’s for some-”

(Endeavour walks faster, and gets into the car. Lewis gets in the passenger side.)

Lewis: “Well.”

Endeavour: “Well.” (He starts the car.)

(They drive for some minutes.)

Lewis: “Aren’t we going to get some food?”

Endeavour: “No, I had a little before we got here.”

Lewis: “Well, that’s not fair.”

Endeavour: “Can’t your fiancee occasionally cook for you?”

Lewis: “She’s an orderly. She works all crazy hours.”

Endeavour: “Is that what she told you?”

Lewis (sharply): “Hey.”

(Endeavour smiles.)

Lewis: “Pull the car over.”

(Endeavour pulls over.)

Lewis: “Don’t you ever talk that way about her again!”

Endeavour: “What do you mean, ‘about her’? I was just-”

Lewis (aiming at Morse with a death stare): “Now get back into traffic.”

(Endeavour blanches and spins the steering wheel again.)

Endeavour: “Come on, man, I was just kid-”

Lewis: “You were not.”

(They drive to Lewis’ flat.)

Lewis: “See you.” (He gets out, and walks into the flat.)

(Endeavour drives away.)

 

Act One, Scene Two

(Endeavour reaches Joan’s flat. He parks and goes in.)

(The lights are mostly out, except for a nightlight in the front room. He puts away his jacket and walks into the side room.)

(The baby is asleep. Endeavour smiles.)

(Next, he goes into the bathroom and undresses down to his boxers. He walks out, carrying his clothing. He puts it all into the hamper, and takes out a pair of pajama pants.)

(He thinks about wearing a shirt, then decides against it. He gets under the covers, next to Joan, and throws an arm around her midsection. He smiles.)

(She wakes up.)

Joan: “Oh, hi.” (She yawns.) “Do you have to go in tomorrow?”

Endeavour: “Don't know. I have to check.”

Joan: “Please, put in for the overtime.” (She closes her eyes and snuggles more deeply into the pillow.)

(He kisses her on the shoulder.)

Endeavour: “I hear you.”

Joan: “Oh-”

(She turns to meet him. They kiss.)

(It gets torrid rather quickly. She is wearing a nightgown. He pulls it aside. She moves her knees outside of his. He pushes in a hurry.)

(She hugs his back. He kisses her.)

(Some time goes by.)

Endeavour: “Ohh-”

(He finishes, and lies back.)

(Endeavour puts a hand on his chest.)

(Joan whimpers.)

(He turns toward her, and raises an eyebrow.)

Endeavour: “You okay?”

Joan (pause): “Yes.”

Endeavour: “No.”

Joan: “No?” (She pulls up the sheets around herself.)

Endeavour (pause): “Are you happy, really… happy?”

Joan: “Well, I could’ve been...” (She looks away, into the distance.)

(He puts a hand on her cheek.)

Endeavour: “Next time, you let me know, okay?” (He smiles.)

(She blushes, and frowns a little.)

Endeavour: “Where do you want to go this summer?”

Joan: “London.”

Endeavour: “Again, huh?” (He smiles.)

Joan: “Might be seeing a show.” 

Endeavour: “Who by?”

Joan: “I don’t think you like them. I’ll have to leave the baby with Dad.”

Endeavour: “Really?” (He taps her under the chin.)

Joan: “Led Zeppelin. Playing at the Royal Albert Hall.”

Endeavour: “I could get the tickets tomorrow.”

Joan: “I don’t think you like them.”

Endeavour: “I’ve heard them before.”

Joan: “Oh.” (Pause) “All right. I’ll get to sleep.” (She turns slightly away from him and closes her eyes.)

(He throws an arm around her middle again. He smiles.)

(Soon, he too is asleep.)

 

Act One, Scene Three

(Next day. Endeavour gets up. He gets dressed and calls the station.)

Endeavour: “Hello. This is DS Morse. Am I required to come in today?”

PC: “Ah, let me check. It doesn’t look like it. Can you come in on Monday?”

Endeavour: “Do I have to?”

PC: “Well, you don’t want to lose your rank, do you?”

Endeavour: “Is that what they do if I miss days?”

PC: “Well, it’s one of the possibilities. It can happen if you don’t get the Superintendent’s permission.”

Endeavour: “Is Mr. Bright in at the moment?”

PC: “No, I’m afraid.”

(Endeavour sighs.)

Endeavour: “I’ll be in Monday. Thank you.”

PC: “All right, sir.” (He hangs up.)

(Endeavour sees Joan coming out of the bathroom. She is fully dressed. She runs a towel over her hair.)

Joan: “Morning.”

Endeavour: “Hello. Your hair smells-” (He leans in to get a sniff.) “Wonderful.”

(She smiles.)

Joan: “I’ll take care of the baby.”

Endeavour: “Yes.”

(She walks into the baby’s room and takes him to the bathroom, where she washes, changes, and nurses him. She carries him back out.)

Joan (holding him up): “Say Dad, heh? Say Dad.”

Endeavour (smiling): “It’ll be a year before he can speak.”

Joan: “Doesn’t hurt to try. Hello, kid.” (She kisses the baby, and puts him in the crib. She spins the mobile and gives the boy a stuffed teddy bear.) “Do you think Dad would want to come over today?”

Endeavour: “So we can go out for a little while?”

Joan: “Yes.”

Endeavour: “I’m sure.”

(Joan goes to the phone and dials her father.)

Thursday: “Hello?”

Joan: “Hi, Dad.”

Thursday: “Hello! How’ve you been?”

Joan: “Very good. Listen, do you think you could come over and watch Joseph for a while? Morse and I have some places to be.”

Thursday: “No problem at all. I was waiting for you to ask.”

Joan: “Thank you, Dad. We look forward to you coming.”

Thursday: “Bye now.” (He hangs up.)

Joan: “Now, let me make us some breakfast.”

(She heads to the kitchen and prepares pancakes. When they are done, she puts two on each plate. She also distributes two fizzy drinks.)

Joan: “Here you are.”

Endeavour: “Thank you. I could eat a horse.” (He pours syrup.)

(They eat for a few minutes.)

Joan: “Can’t believe all I’ve been through in the past year.”

Endeavour: “Yeah. And me.”

Joan: “I know.”

Endeavour: “I have to go back in on Monday. We’re to continue working on the arson case ‘til we’ve solved it.”

Joan: “Oh, no. Too bad you couldn’t stay home and be with Joseph. I know it’s not your fault.”

Endeavour: “Yeah.” 

Joan: “I hope you catch this guy soon. Or woman. I suppose it could be either.”

Endeavour: “True.”

Joan: “You know...” (Pause) “I’ve never gotten you anything for your birthday.”

Endeavour: “Nor I for yours.”

Joan: “When is your birthday, by the way?”

Endeavour (nervously): “Well, we don’t know that, do we.” (He smiles briefly.)

Joan: “Oh… well, okay.” (She sips her drink.) “I could just… sneak a look in your wallet.”

Endeavour: “You wouldn’t do that to me.” (He smiles.)

Joan: “You never know.”

Endeavour: “Well!” 

(Then he takes both of their plates and bottles to the sink.)

Endeavour: “We’ll wash these later. How many minutes before your father gets here?”

Joan: “About ten.”

(He sits down on the couch and beckons to her. She sits with him.)

Endeavour: “What’ve you been reading?”

Joan: “’King Lear.’”

Endeavour: “Interesting. Which daughter do you think you are?”

Joan: “Well, Sam is Regan or Goneril, so I guess that makes me Cordelia. My parents never had a third child. Can you picture Sam in a dress? You know, like they used to do in the theater?”

(Endeavour throws back his head and laughs.)

Endeavour: “No. I don’t think I can.” (He stretches out his arms over the back of the couch. Then he thinks of something.) “Why do you think you’re Cordelia?”

Joan: “Because I really love my father, but he doesn’t want to hear it.”

Endeavour (baffled): “Oh?”

Joan: “You know, women – we ‘can’t think.’ I’d go and pick up a Master’s and just get out of here, but I can’t do it. Can’t afford it. And none of the schools will let me.” (She brushes her hair out of her face.)

Endeavour: “Just – get out of here?” (He looks puzzled.) “I don’t think your father would object to you going back to school.”

Joan: “Yeah.” (She crosses her arms.) “I’d hoped to take you with me, but we’ve got Joseph now, and he-” (She stops.)

Endeavour: “You mean you want to go somewhere else?”

(Joan nods.)

Endeavour: “Where?”

Joan: “I don’t know. Somewhere else in England, maybe.”

Endeavour (quietly): “It’s a big place. Can you narrow it down a little?”

Joan: “Well, don’t know if someplace in London will take me-”

(There is a knock on the door.)

Joan: “That’ll be Dad.” (She gets up and answers it. It is indeed her father.)

Thursday: “I’m babysitting today.” (He smiles.)

Joan: “Sure, Dad.” 

(Joan backs up, and Thursday walks into the house.)

Thursday: “Hello, my boy.” (He waves to Endeavour.)

(Endeavour stands up and smiles.)

Thursday: “Here to see the kid.” (He walks into the side room, and brings out the baby, in a carrier.) “Looking good!”

Joan: “You know where the supplies are, Dad?”

Thursday: “I do, thanks.”

Joan: “All right, we’ll go, now.”

Thursday: “Have fun. It’s good to get out, once in a while.” (He kisses his daughter on the cheek.)

(Joan and Endeavour walk out the door.)

(They walk over to Endeavour’s car.)

(Joan looks at him.)

Joan: “Still wearing your work jacket?” 

Endeavour: “Well, it’s, ah-” (He scratches behind his ear, and smiles a lopsided smile.)

Joan: “Come on.” (Before he can stop her, she reaches out and grabs his jacket by the shoulders, and slips it off. She hands it back to him. He just blinks.)

Endeavour: “Why, Ms. Thursday-” (He chuckles. Holding the coat over one arm, he gets in the driver’s side. Then he tosses the coat in the back seat. Joan gets in the passenger’s.)

(They drive into town. Joan looks for a record shop.)

Joan: “There.” (She points to one. Endeavour pulls over.)

(The sign says ‘Keegan’s Records.’ They walk inside.)

Joan: “Hello?”

Clerk: “Yes.”

Joan: “I’d like to buy two tickets to a concert, please.”

Clerk: “Yeah, which one?” (He hands her a laminated card with names of artists printed on it. She puts her hand on the Led Zeppelin show for the Royal Albert Hall on June 29.) “Yeah, well, that’s-” (He types up the expense in the cash register. Endeavour pays him.) “Thanks.”

Joan: “Yes, thank you.” (She takes the tickets and puts them in her purse.)

(They walk out.)

Joan: “Well, shall we eat?”

Endeavour: “Yeah.”

(They go to a little park area, with food trucks around it. Joan walks up to one of them.)

Joan: “Yes, I’d like two gyros, and chips, please.”

Clerk: “Want colas?”

Joan: “Yeah, just make it the special, please. Thank you.”

(In a few minutes, the food is ready. Joan pays. She takes it over to a little concrete table. She and Endeavour sit down.)

Joan: “Oh, look, a chess table. I beat you could beat me.”

Endeavour: “Yeah. I think the players have to bring the pieces.”

Joan: “Too bad we forgot.”

Endeavour: “I’ll play you sometime.”

Joan: “Thanks.”

(They eat and drink for a little while.)

Endeavour: “Did you really mean what you said?”

Joan: “Usually, I do. What about?”

Endeavour: “Leaving.”

Joan: “Well, it has always been a dream of mine to get a Master’s. I suppose I could inquire into classes at night. That way, I could mix my job, which is only a few hours a day, with the classes, and be done in a few years.”

Endeavour: “Thank God. I thought you really meant going off to America, or something.”

Joan (pause): “Before we had the baby, I thought about it. But now-” (She looks at him seriously, then back at her food.)

Endeavour: “You know what I’m like when I’m without you.”

(She looks stunned.)

Joan: “Well, I won’t.” (She picks at her food again.)

(A gray heron walks up to their table.)

Endeavour: “Well, I’ll be.”

(Joan holds out a chip.)

Joan: “C’mon, now, eat.” (She smiles. The bird takes the food.)

Endeavour: “Shouldn’t do that… might cause him to… I don’t know what.”

Joan: “He’s probably done it thousands of times.”

Endeavour: “He shouldn’t be in this part of the city. Ought to be in a sanctuary.”

Joan: “Maybe he escaped.”

Endeavour: “Yeah. That could be.”

Joan: “Should we call someone?”

Endeavour: “He’s-”

(The bird suddenly flies away.)

Joan: “Well, that settles it.”

Endeavour: “Yes.”

(He gets up and takes their garbage to the bin. Then he picks up Joan’s hand, and they slowly start to walk.)

Endeavour: “Living here, and being on the police, I don’t get to see as much of the city as I want.”

Joan: “So familiar, it’s unfamiliar?”

Endeavour: “Right.” 

Joan: “Lots of churches here.”

Endeavour: “Including St. Ninian’s.”

Joan: “You remembered!”

(He smiles.)

(They turn around and start to walk back toward the car.)

Joan: “You… still haven’t shaved.” 

Endeavour: “Experiment’s not over yet.” (He smiles a little.)

Joan: “Oh.”

(Endeavour frowns.)

Joan: “What’s that supposed to mean?”

Endeavour: “I don’t know. Just kidding.”

Joan (looking puzzled): “You don’t just kid.” 

(She gets into the passenger side of the car. Endeavour drives off.)

Joan: “Thank you for the tickets.”

Endeavour: “You’re welcome.”

Joan: “So, who should I bring along?”

Endeavour: “Myself.”

Joan: “You’re serious?”

Endeavour: “Yes.”

Joan: “Well, okay, I guess you can go.”

Endeavour: “And thank you for lunch.”

Joan: “No problem.”

(Endeavour turns on the radio. They ride just listening for a while. Then:)

Endeavour: “Who were you going to bring in my stead?”

Joan: “Well, somebody who likes that kind of music.”

Endeavour: “I can learn. I’m open to new things.”

Joan: “Now, Morse, if there’s one thing you are not-”

(They pull up at a light. He leans over and kisses her.)

(He laughs as she looks puzzled again.)

(They drive up to her flat and get out.)

(Her father is playing with the child. He has the baby on the couch. Thursday holds out a plastic fish. The baby crawls a little, to try and reach it.)

Joan: “Hello.”

Thursday: “Hey, you two. We were just having so much fun here.”

Joan: “Do you mind watching him a little more? I’ve become so sleepy, all of a sudden. I need a rest.”

Thursday: “All right. Could you flip on the telly?”

Joan: “Yes.” (She turns it on.)

Thursday: “I’ll take the afternoon movie, if you don’t mind.”

Joan: “Sure.” (She finds the appropriate station.) “Oh, look, it’s ‘Casablanca.’”

Thursday: “One of my all-time favorites.”

Joan: “Mine too. Thanks, Dad.” 

Thursday: “No problem. I’ll try not to, ah, hear too much.”

Joan: “Dad!” (She blushes, and walks into her bedroom. She shuts the door behind them.)

(Endeavour puts a hand to her shoulder.)

Endeavour: “Now, now, you didn’t think you would get away from me that easily, did you?” (He flashes a smile and pulls her in for a kiss.)

(Then he breaks it off. He stares at her, then blinks.)

Endeavour: “You really don’t like it, do you.”

Joan: “What do you mean?”

Endeavour: “The beard.”

Joan: “No, it’s just-”

Endeavour: “You don’t.”

Joan: “Well, it makes you look like another person.”

Endeavour: “Well.” 

(He kicks off his shoes and socks. Joan does the same. He backs up toward the bed, and beckons Joan with a finger. Joan sits down next to him.)

(He lies back on the bed, and pulls her on top of him.)

(Endeavour smiles, and kisses her.)

(Her hair drapes around his throat. He closes his eyes and just smiles.)

(Cut to: Some time later. They lie together, naked under the covers.)

(Joan is exhausted. She falls asleep.)

(Endeavour is just about to go to sleep as well, when the baby cries, from the next room.)

(Joan sits up.)

Joan: “I’ll get him.” (She pulls on her underwear, and quickly reaches in the dresser for a nightgown. She puts on her slippers and runs to the side room.)

(Some minutes later, she comes back, and slips back under the covers.)

Joan: “Had to change him. Can’t wait until he starts to sleep through the night.”

(Endeavour turns his head toward her, and smiles. Half-awake, he grunts.)

 

Act One, Scene Four

(Monday of the next week. Endeavour wakes up and hurries to get dressed. He heads to the station.)

(Lewis is already there.)

Endeavour: “Let’s get this over with.”

Lewis: “This probably isn’t going to be one of those cases we do in a straight line.”

Endeavour: “Oh?”

Lewis: “Jim just told me the circus rolled into town.”

Endeavour: “So – do you want tickets?”

Lewis: “They found a horse with a dead body in the saddle.”

Endeavour: “No.”

Lewis: “Believe it.”

(The two of them wait for Jim to come back from the men’s room. Soon, he does.)

Jim: “Good morning.”

Endeavour: “What happened, with the new case?”

Jim: “Well, it looks like it was not a suicide.”

Endeavour: “Can you tell?”

Jim: “The man’s heart was pulled out, and the wound around it was burned.”

Endeavour: “Excuse me, burned?”

Jim: “Yes. With a pitch torch, like the arson at the building.”

Lewis: “So, they’re waiting to charge whoever did it with arson?”

Jim: “Yes.”

Lewis: “Okay. That’s one thing that links them. Why did he pull the man’s heart out? Why not shoot him? I assume it was a man, yes?”

Jim: “The victim? Yes. Twenty-eight years old.”

Lewis: “So, what was the reason to make it so violent? He had to do the killing first, then put the body on the horse, yes?”

Jim: “Yes. You know the two things most murders come down to, right?”

Lewis: “Yes.”

Jim: “The victim was not robbed.”

Lewis: “I see. Then it’s the other one.”

Jim: “Righto.”

Endeavour: “I thought we were not supposed to make assumptions.”

Jim: “No, we make deductions. Almost the same thing.”

Endeavour: “When is Bright sending us out?”

Jim: “Few minutes. At the morning meeting.” (He looks at his watch.) “Might as well be early.”

(They walk into the meeting room. It gets crowded quickly. Bright walks in and steps to the podium.)

Bright: “Ladies and gentlemen, good morning.”

Everyone: “Good morning, sir.”

Bright: “Thank you. A plethora of new cases this week. Morse, Lewis, and Strange will take the arson murder. That includes the new victim, who turned up in the small hours.”

Jim: “The one with his heart no longer where it should be?”

Bright: “That’s the same. A shocking murder, worse than most. Not that there are any good murders, of course.”

Jim: “Thank you, sir.”

(They sit through the rest of the meeting. Then, Bright dismisses the crowd.)

(The three detectives walk out into the hall.)

Jim: “So, let’s get ready to go.”

Lewis: “Yes.” 

(They get their coats.)

Endeavour: “To the circus, first?”

Jim: “I think DeBryn’s already got him.”

Endeavour: “Then the morgue.”

Jim: “Yeah.”

Endeavour: “Let’s be off.”

(They go to the parking lot and get into Jim’s car. He drives off.)

(They pull up at the morgue, and get out.)

(As they walk in, Lewis puts on his usual nose clip.)

Jim: “You can’t put the smell out of your mind, man?”

Lewis: “It smells like death.”

(They walk into Dr. DeBryn’s work room.)

Max: “Ah, good morning, gentlemen. I can’t think of a more fun way to start off the day.”

(Lewis turns blue.)

Max: “Again, there’s a bin in the hall, if you need it. Now, let’s take a look.” (He pulls down the sheet.) “This is our victim. Gabriel Turner. Twenty-eight years old. Note the gaping hole in his chest.”

Endeavour: “For his heart.” 

Max: “Yes. It was pulled out at a location earlier than the one where he was found. So he was murdered – wherever, then he was taken to the circus location, and put in the saddle of the horse. The horse was kicked, or what have you, and allowed to run out into the street.”

Jim: “Hmm.”

Endeavour: “Could our killer be a cardiologist?”

Max: “Not likely. If he were, it would be far too easy to find him on the list of registered physicians. There are many times more nurses and orderlies who work with them. Try there first.”

Jim: “Uh-huh.”

Lewis: “I know one orderly that you’re not talking to.”

Jim: “Hush.”

Lewis: “Hey!”

Max: “Back to the normal, gentlemen.” (He blinks.) “I have my report and photographs in the corner. As always, do not hesitate to call me if you need to know about something else.”

Endeavour: “You didn’t find a lot of blood at the scene?”

Max: “No, the blood had already been drained from his body. That’s why I think the killing… or sacrifice… happened somewhere else.”

Lewis: “Sacrifice?” 

Max: “Clearly, this person is interested in different things.”

Endeavour: “Could he be in the occult?”

Max: “The potential is there. Or he’s some medical student, who won’t stop taking drugs.”

Endeavour: “Could be.”

Lewis: “I’ll come back here from now on to find out why all the murders happen.”

Max: “Now, I’m not trying to take your pay.”

(Lewis mutters something into his collar.)

Max: “If you have nothing else to ask me, and you’ve seen all you need to, you may leave.”

Jim: “All right. We’ll call you if we need you.”

(He goes to a cabinet at the corner of the room. He picks up Max’s report, some pictures, and a small plastic bag with evidence in it.)

Jim: “What’s this?”

Max: “The material which was taken out of the wound. It contains little bits from the torch. Don’t see how you’ll get any fingerprints. You’re welcome to it, nonetheless.”

Endeavour: “Thank you.”

(They walk out to Jim’s car, and get in.)

Jim: “Anyone want to ask at the circus, before we take this stuff to the lab?”

Endeavour: “No, the lab first.”

(They drive back to the station. Jim goes to take the bag of evidence to the laboratory.)

(Lewis, meanwhile, still looks sick.)

Endeavour: “I’ve got to say – if you don’t get over this problem that you have, you’ll never make a good detective. I should put a note about that in your file.”

Lewis: “All right, as long as I get to put one in yours.”

(Endeavour’s lips curl with a sarcastic smile.)

Endeavour: “About what?”

Lewis: “The fact that you’re a cruel, heartless arsehole.”

Endeavour: “Hey-”

(Lewis walks into the men’s room. He washes his face in the sink. Then he walks back to the hall.)

Endeavour: “That’s another thing. Don’t walk away unless I tell you I’m finished talking to you. That’ll have to go on your record as well.”

(Lewis laughs.)

Lewis: “Come on, man.”

Endeavour: “I’m serious.”

Lewis: “I went to wash my hands.”

Endeavour: “How do I know?”

Lewis: “You can smell them.” (He holds them up.)

Endeavour: “Any health issues you may have-”

(Lewis turns and starts to walk in the opposite direction.)

Endeavour: “Are yours to report to the physician – where are you going?”

(Lewis makes a very rude gesture with one hand.)

Endeavour: “That’s the third-”

(All of a sudden, Lewis turns and runs at Endeavour. Lewis lowers his head at the last second. He rugby-tackles Endeavour. The two of them go crashing to the floor.)

Endeavour: “Ow! Get off of me!”

Lewis: “Go fuck yourself.”

(The two of them wrestle for a couple seconds. Lewis quickly gains the upper hand. He grabs Endeavour by the collar and punches him twice in the face.)

Endeavour: “Ahh! Ahh!” 

(Lewis sits up, half off the other man’s body, and surveys his handiwork. Endeavour’s nose is broken.)

(Lewis gets all the way up now, and takes a few steps back.)

Endeavour: “Oww, oww...” (He sits up, then reaches back to hold onto the desk. He rises to his full height.) “What did I ever do to you?”

Lewis: “You’re a lousy teacher.”

Endeavour (long pause): “...Oh?”

Lewis: “Put it in my record that I said that.” (He walks away.)

(Endeavour turns away, in search of a first aid kit.)

 

Act One, Scene Five

(Close to the end of shift. Endeavour sits typing at his desk. His face is all taped up with gauze.)

(Jim comes over to talk to him, for the first time since the morning.)

Jim: “Ugh. Get that looked at by a doctor. What happened?”

(Endeavour just looks up, and fixes him with a withering stare.)

Jim: “Oh, boy. One of those days, isn’t it?”

Endeavour: “Hmm.” (He idly tosses his head from side to side.)

Jim: “Well, did you finish your report?”

(Endeavour puts his report in an envelope and hands it to the other man.)

Jim: “Thank you. Now I’ll get a copy from the trainee.” (He winces on the last word, and walks to Lewis’ desk.)

(Lewis hands him a complete report, without saying anything.)

Jim: “Okay, gentlemen. You may go now.”

Endeavour: “Do we have to come back in every day this week?”

Jim: “You should call early, to see if we want you to work. One day at a time.”

Lewis: “Really?”

Jim: “Look at it this way. They definitely want me to work every day. At least you get a fraction of a chance for a day off.”

(Lewis puts on his coat and mumbles to himself.)

Jim: “See you.”

Lewis: “I’m taking a cab.”

Jim: “That’s funny, doesn’t he usually drop you-”

(Lewis walks out before Jim can finish his sentence.)

Jim: “Hmm.” (He turns to face Endeavour.) “Want to tell me what that was about?”

Endeavour: “Not particularly.”

Jim (raising an eyebrow): “Oh?”

Endeavour: “I’ll mend well, as I do from these things.” (Pause) “Never forget, I outrank you both.”

Jim: “You never let us.” (He turns and walks away.)

(Endeavour grumbles to himself, and walks to his car.)

(He starts the car and turns up the radio. The music show which is normally on has been replaced by a special news bulletin.)

Announcer: “And a horror struck the normally festive circus today. One of their workers was killed, in what appears to be-”

Endeavour: “Don’t want to hear it.” (He changes stations, to a talk show.)

(He drives to Joan’s flat and parks.)

(He knocks on the door.)

Joan: “Hello. Oh God, what happened to your face?”

Endeavour: “It’s nothing.”

Joan: “It is not nothing. Who could take you in a fight? Was it Jim, or Robert, or someone off the street? Wait a minute, was it Lewis? This has to stop.”

Endeavour: “Never mind.” (He smiles.)

(She walks inside. He follows, and hangs up his coat.)

Endeavour: “What are you making tonight?”

Joan: “Pasta, soup, and fried calamari. Have a seat, it’s going to be a while.”

Endeavour: “How’s Joseph?”

Joan: “I put him down for a nap. He’s been his usual sunny self, though.”

(Endeavour sits down at the kitchen table.)

Joan: “Dad went back home this morning.”

Endeavour: “Ah.”

Joan: “I may have to find a reputable babysitter soon. I won’t be able to stay home forever.”

Endeavour: “Okay. Let me know before you pay them.”

Joan: “I will.”

(Endeavour gets up and goes into the baby’s room. He picks up the child.)

Endeavour: “Hey, little man.” (He smiles and makes faces at the baby.)

Joan: “I’m going to tend to dinner.” (She walks into the kitchen.)

Endeavour: “I’m so proud of you. Going to do better for you than my father did with me.” (He cradles the child in his arms.)

(He plays with the child for a few more minutes, then puts him in the crib, and goes to sit at the table.)

(Joan finishes cooking, and puts the whole dinner on two plates.)

Joan: “Eat up.” (She smiles.)

Endeavour: “This is really good. I’m not just saying that.”

Joan: “Thank you.”

(There is a knock at the door.)

Joan: “I’ll get it.” (She answers the door.)

(It is a tallish, brown-haired woman. She is carrying a small suitcase.)

Joyce: “Hello, is Morse there?”

Joan: “Who’s calling, please?”

Joyce: “I’m his sister, Joyce.”

Joan: “Oh! Pleased to finally meet you. Come on in!” (She opens the door. Joyce walks in.)

Joyce: “Hello.”

Endeavour: “Joyce?” (He gets up and crosses to her.) “How nice to see you.” (He kisses her on the cheek.)

Joyce: “How did you hurt your face? And what is that… baby smell?”

Joan (blushing): “Ah, it’s our new baby.”

Joyce: “You and he?”

Endeavour: “I was planning to write and tell you.”

Joan: “Come see him. Name of Joseph Matthew Morse.” (She walks into the side room.)

Joyce: “Oh, he’s so cute. I saw the birth announcement in the newspaper. That’s why I came.”

Endeavour: “I will try to call more often.”

Joyce: “That’s okay. Can I pick him up?”

Joan: “Go right ahead.”

(Joyce picks up the infant.)

Joyce: “It feels so strange to be an… aunt.” (She gently rocks the baby from side to side.)

Endeavour: “How long are you staying in town?”

Joyce: “Four days. I’m leaving Thursday night.”

Endeavour: “Plenty of time to see the sights.”

Joyce: “Thanks.”

Joan: “Do you want something to eat? I can fix you a plate.”

Joyce: “No, I couldn’t burden you.”

Joan: “Burden, don’t be silly. We haven’t got much calamari left, but I can make you something else.”

Joyce: “Do you have roast beef?”

Joan: “I can make you a sandwich.”

Joyce: “Sure.” (She puts the baby back in the crib, and sits on the couch. Endeavour sits next to her.)

Endeavour: “So, how’ve you been?”

Joyce: “Variable. I don’t have anyone at the moment.”

Endeavour: “Eh, I wouldn’t worry about that so much.”

Joyce: “Looks like you’ve been worrying about someone.” (She smiles.)

(He blushes.)

Joyce: “How long have you and her-?”

Endeavour: “About half a year.”

Joyce: “Well, I don’t want to pry.”

Endeavour: “We are engaged.”

Joyce: “Really? Congratulations.” 

Endeavour: “Thank you.”

(Joan comes in with the sandwich. She also has crisps and a soda pop bottle.)

Joyce: “Do you mind if I eat here, right in front of the telly and everything?”

Joan: “It’s fine, we do it all the time.”

Joyce: “Thank you. All of a sudden, I just feel so tired.”

Joan: “How did you get here?”

Joyce: “I took the bus.”

Endeavour: “That must be why. Do you need to go to a hotel?”

Joyce: “Yes. I really hate to ask, but could you drive me to one?”

Endeavour: “I know where one is. It’s fairly affordable.”

Joyce: “Oh, where?”

Endeavour: “The Castleton. They have a nice discount during the week.”

(Joan snorts but covers her lips. She remembers her and Endeavour’s eventful stay there.)

Joyce: “That will do.” (She yawns and stretches. She says to Endeavour:) “I haven’t seen you in five years. Since Dad passed. I’m sorry I didn’t come visit sooner.”

Endeavour: “Well, I didn’t either, so I forgive you.”

Joan: “What are you going to do the rest of the time that you’re in town?”

Joyce: “Visit here, and other than that, I guess I’ll see some museums or a film or something.”

Joan: “I don’t have a bike. Maybe you can rent one at the park.”

Joyce: “I hope so.”

(They all talk for a while. Then Joyce gets up.)

Joyce: “Would somebody take me over to the hotel?”

Endeavour: “I will.” 

(Joyce picks up her suitcase. Endeavour walks out with her to the car.)

(He drives her to the hotel. They get out.)

(He hands her a few pound notes.)

Joyce: “Oh, I don’t really need-”

Endeavour: “Please.”

Joyce: “Thank you.” (She takes the money.) “I’ll call you tomorrow. You never did explain how you hurt your face.”

Endeavour: “I’ll tell you tomorrow.” (He smiles, and gives her a hug. She waves, and walks inside the hotel.)

(He goes back to his car and drives home. He walks into the flat.)

Endeavour: “Hello.”

Joan: “Hello. It was nice to see her.”

Endeavour: “Yes, it was.”

Joan: “I wonder if she could be our babysitter, when she has time away from work?”

Endeavour: “Well, you can ask her tomorrow.”

Joan: “I will. I figure she’ll say no, but I may as well try.”

(She turns on the TV.)

Joan: “I’ll get the carrier, and bring the baby out here.”

Endeavour: “Okay.”

(Joan goes into the side room and comes back with the baby. The child looks very lively.)

Joan: “Who’s a good baby? Yes, you are.”

(They sit and watch TV, until finally, Joan yawns.)

Joan: “I’m so tired.”

Endeavour: “Let’s put him down for a nap.”

Joan: “Does he need a diaper?”

Endeavour: “No. Seems to be dry, now.”

Joan: “Right, then.”

(She takes Joseph to his room and puts him in the crib. He giggles a little, then settles down to sleep.)

(She returns to the master bedroom.)

Endeavour: “I may have to shave, to help stop the pain.”

Joan: “It was Lewis, wasn’t it?”

Endeavour (sighs): “Yes.”

Joan: “You really should report him. He can’t keep doing that.”

Endeavour: “I kind of talked my way into it.”

Joan: “Well, still.”

(Joan gets up to change into a nightgown. Endeavour reaches out and pulls her back onto the bed.)

Endeavour: “You don’t have to.”

(He slowly pulls off her clothing. He kisses her.)

(Cut to: A shoulders-up view as they move under the covers.)

(Cut to: Some time later. Endeavour moves to lie beside her. Focus on his face, as he pants for quite a few seconds.)

(Over to: Joan softly cries, and turns away. She hugs the pillow.)

(Endeavour notices.)

Endeavour: “Is everything okay?”

Joan: “Who – who is this Maureen?”

Endeavour (pause): “What?”

Joan: “That’s what you called me. Just now.”

Endeavour: “What? I don’t-”

(She turns around and stares at him. Suddenly, his eyes light up with recognition.)

Endeavour: “I’m sorry.”

(Joan reaches over the side of the bed and very quickly pulls her clothes back on.)

Endeavour: “Where are you going?”

Joan: “To take a shower.”

Endeavour: “And then?”

Joan: “I don’t know.”

(Bitterly, she stomps off.)

(Endeavour, with tears in his eyes, lies back and looks out the window.)

 

Act Two, Scene One

(The next day. Endeavour wakes up and gets dressed. He looks around the flat. He sees Joan curled up asleep on the couch, in the side room with the baby.)

(He calls the station.)

PC: “Hello?”

Endeavour: “Yes, can you put me through to the duty sergeant?”

PC: “Who is calling, please?”

Endeavour: “DS Morse.”

PC: “Thank you. Please hold.”

(There is a click, then quiet for a few seconds. The sergeant picks up.)

Cole: “Sergeant here, may I help you?”

Endeavour: “Yes, this is DS Morse. I would like to know if I am supposed to report to work today.”

Cole: “Let me see.” (Pause) “Ah, they haven’t called you in, but-” (There is noise in the background. To someone else, he says:) “What? Oh-” (Pause) “Okay.” (To Endeavour:) “Ah, yes, you will have to come in.”

Endeavour: “Yes. I’m on my way.”

Cole: “Goodbye.” (He hangs up.)

(Endeavour goes back to the side room, and looks in at Joan and their son. He watches them for a moment. Then he gets going.)

(Cut to: He arrives at the station and goes in.)

(Jim greets him in the hallway.)

Endeavour: “Hello.”

Jim: “You’re not going to like this.”

Endeavour: “Oh?” (His face falls.)

Jim: “Two sex workers were kidnapped in the early hours of this morning. One of them made it out alive, one of them didn’t.”

(Endeavour shifts on his feet.)

Endeavour: “Where’s Lewis?”

Jim: “He didn’t make it in this morning. Out with the flu.”

Endeavour: “Oh. Any progress on the other cases?”

Jim: “The lab is still working on the leftovers from Dr. DeBryn’s examination.”

Endeavour: “Who’s going to help me today?”

Jim: “Me. And no one. I’m the only one you’ve got left.”

Endeavour: “All right.”

(He puts his coat on the rack in the corner, and sits at his desk. He opens up a folder. It shows the new notes on the case of the sex workers.)

Endeavour (reading aloud): “Shelly Bauer, 22, found dead. Julie Bergen, 23, beaten, but survived. Bauer at morgue. Bergen sent to hospital.” (He looks up.) “What hospital did they take Julie Bergen to?”

Jim: “Telmont.” 

Endeavour: “Is she able to see visitors at the moment?”

Jim: “No. Still having an operation.”

Endeavour: “Okay.” (Pause) “Any signs this killing is linked to the others?”

Jim: “Not yet. We’re looking.”

Endeavour: “Okay. I’m going to call the morgue, to see about Shelly Bauer.” 

Jim: “Do that.” (Jim walks away.)

(Endeavour picks up the phone and calls the morgue.)

Endeavour: “Hello, is this Dr. DeBryn’s office?”

Clerk: “Yes, it is.”

Endeavour: “I’d like to know if I can come in and talk to the doctor about the death of Shelly Bauer.”

Clerk: “I’ll ask him. Please hold.” (Silence on the line. Then:) “No, I’m sorry, he’s not ready to have you come in yet. He said you can come in tomorrow morning.”

(Endeavour sighs, knowing this means he loses another day to spend with his family.)

Endeavour: “All right. Thank you for your time.”

Clerk: “No problem.” (He hangs up.)

(Endeavour reads the case notes some more. Then, his phone rings.)

Endeavour: “DS Morse?”

Ryan: “Hello, this is the laboratory. I have some news.”

Endeavour: “Go on?”

Ryan: “We found some flecks of skin in the gore that was taken from the wound. It doesn’t match the victim.”

Endeavour: “Oh yes?”

Ryan: “Yeah, we have some printouts on the blood tests we also did. I can send that to you, if you want.”

Endeavour: “Yes, please.”

Ryan: “Fine, I’ll send the reports and the photographs from the slides.”

Endeavour: “Thank you.” (He hangs up.)

(Stuck for things to do, Endeavour goes for a walk outside the station.)

(Across the street, he sees a heron. It reminds him of the lunch he had with Joan. He smiles, and scratches the back of his neck.)

(A few minutes later, he goes back inside. He walks over to Supt. Bright’s office.)

Bright: “Morning, Detective Sergeant.”

Endeavour: “Morning, sir. I am – unable to work on any cases at the moment.”

Bright: “Oh? Didn’t you have three felonies come in so far in the last few days?”

Endeavour: “Yes, there’s the arson case, the man whose heart was removed, and the murder of the sex worker.”

Bright: “That should give you some work to do.”

Endeavour: “I called the morgue. Dr. DeBryn says he can’t let me in to take the report until tomorrow. The one worker is dead, and the other is still in the hospital, undergoing treatment.”

Bright: “And the others?”

Endeavour: “The lab worker found some flecks of skin on the material taken from the man at the circus. I’m waiting for the report to come in. I can’t find any new material on the arson case. We’re waiting to see if they can get any fingerprints or shoe prints from the remains of the building.”

Bright: “I see.”

Endeavour: “Thank you, sir.”

(He walks down to the canteen.)

(He picks up a tray and idly walks down the line, to review the food.)

Clay: “What’ll it be?”

Endeavour: “Ah, some baked fish-”

Clay: “Sorry, we still have breakfast.”

Endeavour: “Okay, then. Pancakes.”

Clay: “Yes.”

(He puts two pancakes on Endeavour’s plate. Then he puts little containers of butter and syrup.)

Clay: “Let me ring you up.” (He does so.) “Eat hardy.”

(Endeavour pays and goes to a seat.)

(Two PCs walk in and get food. They go to a table. One of the officers is a black female. The other is an Asian male. They don’t talk.)

(Endeavour becomes curious.)

Endeavour: “Hello. Are you new here?”

Noelle: “Yes.”

Endeavour: “Come sit with me.” (He smiles.)

(The two walk over to his table and sit down.)

Endeavour: “How are you both?”

Ronald: “Nervous, sir.”

Endeavour: “I’m sure you’ll do okay. What division are you in?”

Ronald: “I’m Ronald Barrow. Walking a beat, so far.”

Noelle: “I’m Noelle Manchek. I’m working the front desk.”

(They both eat and drink for a minute.)

Endeavour: “Do you like your work, so far?”

Noelle: “Well – some days yes, and some days no.”

Endeavour: “That’s honest.” (To Ronald): “And how about you?”

Ronald: “Well, they say I’m the first Asian man assigned to this station. And she’s the first black female.”

Endeavour: “Good luck to the both of you.”

Noelle: “Thank you.”

Endeavour: “You know, if anybody gives you problems, report them to me.”

Noelle: “I haven’t had anything like that yet. Though I did get some stares the other day.”

Endeavour: “Well, just do your best.”

Noelle: “Thank you.”

(They continue to eat, until they are done.)

Endeavour: “See you later.”

Noelle: “Thank you.” (She and Ronald dispose of their trash and leave.)

(Endeavour sits for a few minutes. Then he too throws out his garbage, and walks back down the hall.)

(Jim meets him in front of his work station.)

Jim: “There’s some news.”

Endeavour: “Oh?” 

Jim: “You may be getting your own room.”

Endeavour: “An office? Really?”

Jim: “Yes. There’s talk DS Kessler may retire in a few days.”

Endeavour: “Oh. I never really knew him.”

Jim: “Well. You may get his office, if he leaves. Also, there are rumors you talked to two people today.”

Endeavour: “Well, I just said hello to the new officers.”

Jim: “Careful, now. You may get a reputation.”

(Endeavour snorts and grins.)

Endeavour: “Listen, if those reports don’t come in, any chance they’ll let me go early, before the end of the day?”

Jim: “Nah. Not an ice cube in Hell.”

Endeavour: “Okay.”

(He walks back to his desk.)

(Time passes.) 

(Cut to: A clerk walks past him, and hands him a large envelope.)

(Endeavour opens it. Inside, there are the materials sent by Ryan Claridge.)

(He begins to read. Camera view goes to read over his shoulder.)

Endeavour (muttering): “Blood from wound, and skin flecks. Some skin does not appear to match that of the victim.” (He looks at the photographs of the slides, included with the notes.) “Search these names in the files: Stephen McLean, and Barry Shell.” 

(He writes down the names on his own notepad. Then he replaces the clerk’s material in the envelope, and walks down the hall to ask for the search at the files department.)

Endeavour: “Hello, I need you to look up these names for me.”

PC: “Yes, sir, I can do that.” (He reads the note.) “Hmm. They don’t sound familiar, but I’ll look for you.”

Endeavour: “Do, please.”

(It takes a few minutes. The PC goes back into the file room, with its big shelves. He comes back with two folders.)

PC: “Here you go, sir.”

Endeavour: “Thank you.”

(He walks back to his desk and opens the folders.)

Endeavour (talking to himself): “Stephen McLean, Barry Shell. Stephen was arrested in 1962 for loitering. Also in 1963, for disorderly conduct. No other arrests. No felonies. Barry Shell arrested in 1965 for drug possession. And in 1967. Bought a kilo of cocaine. A kilo? That’s way too much for one person. Probably selling.”

(He scratches his forehead. Then he gets up and walks outside again. He looks for the heron again, but does not see it. He goes back inside.)

(In the main room, all is chaos. Officers are running back and forth and gibbering to one another.)

Endeavour: “What’s this? What happened?”

(An officer stops to talk to him.)

PC: “They found the body. Holy shit, they found the body.”

Endeavour: “What body?”

PC: “WPC Miller.”

Endeavour: “What happened to her?”

(The PC goes pale. He backs away from Endeavour.)

(Endeavour frowns. He walks toward the center of the room.)

(Supt. Bright walks into the room.)

Bright: “Attention, please.”

(Everyone quiets down and looks at Bright.)

Bright: “It is my-” (He pauses.) “It is-” (He chokes up. Everyone watches as he dabs his fingers over his eyes.) “WPC Andrea Miller has been found dead. In this building.”

(Gasps of shock and horror fill the room.)

Bright: “Everyone should stay at their work stations, unless personally notified by myself.”

PC: “What happened? How did she die?”

Bright: “I can’t reveal that at this time. The coroner will let us know when he wants us to release the information. Please clear the way for any SOCO individuals you may see.”

Endeavour: “Did they remove her body yet?”

Bright: “I am not free to reveal that.”

(Jim Strange makes the sign of the Cross.)

Bright: “Carry on.” (He shakes his head, and walks out of the room.)

(Endeavour goes back to his desk. He picks up his phone and calls home.)

(Nobody answers. He hangs up.)

(He puts his hands on the desk and takes deep breaths.)

(Jim walks up.)

Jim: “What a day.”

Endeavour: “Yes.”

Jim: “I worked with her on a couple of cases. You never can tell.”

Endeavour: “Do you think she committed suicide?”

Jim: “Might be. If she’d just had a heart attack, I think Bright would have told us just now.”

Endeavour: “Is it end of shift yet?”

(Jim checks his watch.)

Jim: “About ten minutes to go.”

Endeavour: “Thank you.”

Jim: “Oh, we just got a same-day delivery in the mail. It’s from Lewis.”

Endeavour: “Oh?”

Jim: “Yes, he says he has put in for a transfer.” (Pause) “Do you know anything about that?”

Endeavour: “I – I can’t say.”

Jim: “You were his supervisor. Can you think of anything that may have changed his mind?”

(Endeavour stutters.)

Jim: “Well, come to me if you think of anything.” (He turns and walks away.)

(Endeavour sits at his desk and stares into the distance.)

(In a few minutes, it’s the end of shift. He grabs his coat and walks out into the parking lot.)

 

Act Two, Scene Two

(He drives back to Joan’s flat. He parks and gets out.)

(He opens the door. The smell of dinner comes from inside.)

(Thursday walks out.)

Endeavour: “Didn’t expect to see you, sir.”

Thursday: “Thought I’d come help my daughter out.”

Endeavour: “You’re a good father, sir.” (He smiles a thin smile.)

Thursday: “And you.” (He points toward the kitchen.) “I’m making prawns.”

Endeavour: “Some for me, thanks.” (He sits on the couch.) “I’m so tired.”

Thursday: “Well, sit down.”

Endeavour: “Is Joyce here?”

Thursday: “Yes, she is. She and Joan are playing with the baby.” (He knocks on the door of the baby’s room.) “You two, quit having fun and come out here.”

(The two women emerge. Endeavour gets up and kisses Joan, and then his sister.)

Joyce: “Hello.”

Joan: “Hi.”

Endeavour: “Ah, we had a person, ah, die at work today.”

Joan: “No, that’s terrible!”

Thursday: “Who was she?”

Endeavour: “Andrea Miller. DC Strange says he worked with her on a couple of cases.”

Thursday: “Yeah, I remember her. That’s a shame.”

Endeavour: “She died while at the station.”

Thursday (blinking): “Did someone kill her, or was it natural causes?”

Endeavour: “Don’t know yet. Mr. Bright wouldn’t say.”

Joyce: “It’s a crying shame.”

(The three of them go to the table and sit down. Thursday walks back to tend to the dinner.)

Endeavour: “How is Joseph?”

Joan (smiling): “Hungry little fella.”

Joyce: “Been crying a bit.” 

Joan (to Joyce): “I’ve been meaning to ask. Would you, ah, consider helping us?”

Joyce: “How so?” 

Joan: “Do you think you could get a place in town and maybe babysit sometimes? I know, it is a lot to ask.”

Joyce: “Well… can I have some time to think about it?”

Joan: “Yeah, sure.”

Thursday (walking in from kitchen): “Who wants sauce?”

(Joan and Joyce raise their hands.)

Thursday (to Endeavour): “You?”

Endeavour (shrugs): “No thanks.”

(Thursday finishes cooking, and puts the food on plates. He hands them out, and sits down.)

Joan: “Thanks, Dad.”

Joyce: “Yes.”

(Endeavour quietly begins to eat.)

Thursday (to Joyce): “Did you see anything today?”

Joyce: “Yes. Joan and I went to see the cathedral. Then we went for a walk in the park. Joseph came along.”

(Endeavour smiles.)

Joyce: “Did you bring him to the station yet?”

Joan: “Yes, I did. They loved him.”

Joyce (to Endeavour): “Are you used to being a Dad?”

Endeavour: “It hasn’t really hit me yet. I’m getting there.”

(They eat and drink some more.)

Thursday (to Endeavour): “Ah, did you go to that union event the other day?”

Endeavour: “Yes.”

Thursday: “Did they change anything about the retirement plan? I’m not going to be around forever, you know.”

Joan: “Yes you are, Dad.” (She smiles nervously.)

Thursday: “Well, I’ve got to cash out sometime.”

Endeavour: “No, they really didn’t talk about it. They spent a lot of time on claiming overtime hours, and whether we have to come in on snow days.”

Thursday: “Oh. Well, do we?”

Endeavour (laughing): “It depends on how far away you live from the station, and whether the buses are running.”

Thursday: “Sounds like the same old policy.”

Endeavour: “Probably is.”

Joan (to Endeavour): “Ah… do you still like your job?”

(He blinks.)

Endeavour: “Well, I – don’t know. I guess. I’m good at it.” (He laughs nervously.)

Joan: “That’s good.” 

Thursday: “Man’s been on the force almost twenty years.”

Endeavour: “Ah, sixteen, I think?” (He smiles weakly.)

Joyce: “Wow, half your life.” (She puts a hand to her lips.) “I didn’t mean to say that.”

Endeavour: “Well, now...” 

Thursday: “Come on. Let’s all...” (He picks up everyone’s plates and takes them to the sink. Then he turns on the TV, and goes to sit on the couch.) “Let’s see if they’ve got anything good on.”

(The three sit next to him.)

Joan: “Wait a minute...” (She gets up and goes to check in the baby’s room. He is asleep. She smiles and shuts the door. She goes back to the couch.)

(They watch a game show.)

Host: “What is the capital city of Spain?”

Thursday: “Come on, now… Everybody knows what the capital of Spain is...”

Joyce: “Madrid! Madrid!”

(Endeavour leans his head on his chest and dozes off.)

Joan: “You all right?” (He does not answer.) “Okay...”

(Time passes. The show ends. Joyce gets up.)

Joyce: “This has been fun, but I must get going.”

Thursday: “And me.” (He gets his jacket.) “I’ll drop you at the place.”

Joyce: “Thank you.”

Joan: “Goodbye, now.”

Joyce: “Goodbye.”

(They walk out.)

(Endeavour, groggy, slowly wakes up.)

Endeavour: “What happened? Where did they go?”

Joan: “They went home.” 

Endeavour: “Oh, good...” (He rubs a hand over his face.)

Joan: “Well-” (She thinks for a minute, then shakes her head.) “No.”

Endeavour: “What? What did you mean?”

Joan: “I was going to ask if you want to think of doing something else.”

Endeavour: “Else? Like what?”

Joan: “You could teach at the academy.”

Endeavour: “The university?”

Joan: “Well, that too. But I meant the academy. For the police.”

Endeavour: “Really?”

Joan: “It’s something to think about. That’s all.”

Endeavour: “Nah. I’d better go on to the end.”

Joan: “The bitter end? Is that what you want?”

(He runs his hand down his face.) 

Joan: “What about our life together? We have one now, in case you haven’t noticed.”

Endeavour: “I’d better – get to-” (He leans forward again, and immediately begins to snore.)

(Joan moves up and puts a hand in front of his mouth, to check for alcohol. She gently pokes his arm.)

Joan: “Come on, now. Get ready for bed.”

Endeavour (half asleep, muttering): “No, better...” (He leans over again, this time sideways.) 

Joan (frowning): “I’m really getting worried.”

Endeavour: “Hmm?”

Joan: “Have you had anything to drink?”

Endeavour: “Do you wanna – have a – sishter? For the baby?”

Joan (tilting her head): “Excuse me, what?”

Endeavour (opening his eyes slightly): “Ah, are you taking birth control?”

Joan (baffled): “What?”

Endeavour: “You heard me.”

(She looks at him..)

Joan: “Of course I am. Ever since Joseph was born.”

Endeavour: “Where is the little-”

(This time he falls sideways, onto the couch. He snores loudly.)

(Joan picks up his legs and swings them, so that he lies on the couch in a regular manner. She removes his socks and shoes.)

(He growls and moves his head back and forth. She places a throw pillow under his head.)

(Joan walks into the baby’s room. She picks him up and takes him to the changing table, where she cleans him with an antiseptic wipe and puts on a new diaper. She kisses and hugs him, for a few minutes, and puts him back in the crib.)

(Then she walks into the master bedroom. Without turning on a light, she undresses and puts on a nightgown. She gets under the covers.)

 

Act Two, Scene Three

(Endeavour wakes up. He looks at the clock. It’s just before six a.m.)

(He rubs his face. Then he looks around, and realizes where he is.)

(He gets up, and goes to the washroom. He stands in the living room, and looks around.)

(Very carefully, Endeavour opens the door to his son’s room. He watches for a minute, and smiles a little. Then he closes the door, and walks toward the master bedroom.)

(Just before he can open the door, he thinks of something else. He picks up the phone and dials the station.)

Endeavour: “Hello, this is DS Morse. I would like to know if I’m required to report to work today.”

PC: “Hold on a minute. I don’t-” (There is noise in the background.) “Wait just a-” (More noise.) “Ah, checking the record right now, sir. Ah, you’re not. They didn’t put you on the register for today.”

Endeavour: “When is the next day I have to come in?”

PC: “Let me look here. Ah, it’s next Tuesday. I think Monday is a day off for everyone. Enjoy your time off, sir.”

Endeavour: “Thank you.” (He hangs up.)

(He heads into the bathroom and washes his face. He stands in front of the mirror for several seconds, and mutters to himself.)

(Endeavour brushes his teeth. Then he takes out his shaving cream, puts some on his face, and picks up his razor.)

(Cut to: Endeavour puts down the razor, and rubs his face. He looks himself in the eye. He is now clean-shaven. He slaps on some aftershave, and winces at the coldness. Lastly, he takes a washcloth and pats his face.)

(Endeavour walks into the master bedroom.)

(Joan is just sitting up. She stretches and yawns.)

Endeavour: “Hey.”

Joan: “Hey.”

Endeavour: “...So?”

(She looks at him.)

Joan: “I don’t know what happened to you last night. It’s as if you had… some kind of brain event.”

Endeavour: “I don’t know either.”

Joan: “Do you want to… see someone for help?”

Endeavour: “I already do.”

Joan (sighing): “Fine.” (She looks at him.) “I’d like to get Joseph baptized.”

Endeavour: “C of E?”

Joan: “Yes, if it’s not offensive to you.”

Endeavour: “All right. Will they let us, if we’re not yet-?”

Joan: “That’s the thing. I don’t know.”

Endeavour: “Let’s see if I have the books they gave me.”

(He crosses to the bookcase and finds the ‘History of the Church.’) 

Endeavour: “Ah, it says-” (He flips through it.) “The couple approaching baptism for their child must take a course… confess the faith...” 

(Camera over to Joan, who looks at him with curiosity.)

Endeavour: “Ah, no, they won’t.” (He looks up and frowns.)

Joan: “Oh.” (Pause) “Well, I’ve always said I wouldn’t make you do something you didn’t want to do.”

(They look at each other.)

Joan: “Well.” (Pause) “I guess we’ll have to – draw up some plan for-” (She gets a lump in her throat.) “Child support.”

(Endeavour tilts his head, and looks puzzled.)

Endeavour: “What?”

Joan: “I can see you don’t want to get married. You grew up in a different church. Fine. I understand.” (She turns her head toward the wall and starts to cry.)

Endeavour: “Now, come on!” 

Joan: “Your heart’s not really in it.” (She sniffles.) “You’re doing this for me. Not me and yourself. We never even really talk about religion.”

Endeavour: “I’ve got to – I’ve got to – ah, take a shower.”

(He goes to his closet and gets some clothes.)

(When he turns around, she has left the room.)

(Joan heads into the baby’s room. She looks happy again, and picks up the child. He giggles and smiles.)

Joan: “There, that’s not just gas.”

(Camera over to Endeavour, as he walks into the bathroom to take his shower.)

(Camera back to Joan, who bounces the baby up and down. Then she takes him to the changing table.)

(Minutes later, Endeavour is done with his shower. Fully dressed, he walks out of the bathroom, and back to the bedroom.)

(He notices the room is empty. He sits on the bed, and waits.)

(Camera over to Joan, who holds the baby, and takes out the carrier with one hand. She walks into the living room.)

(Over to: Endeavour finally gets the idea that she’s not coming in. He walks out to the living room.)

(He stands there, watching Joan play with the baby.)

(Joan looks up.)

Endeavour: “It’s early. I don’t have to go in today.”

Joan: “That’s good.”

Endeavour: “You want to go out?”

Joan: “Well, okay.” 

(She takes the stroller out of the closet and switches it with the carrier. She puts Joseph in his little outfit in the stroller.)

(They walk outside.)

Joan: “Where to?”

Endeavour: “Up and down the block.”

Joan: “All right.”

(They walk slowly together.)

(The weather is a warm. It is still June.)

Endeavour: “Oh look, sun.”

Joan: “Right.”

(She points out some flowers to the baby. He giggles.)

Endeavour: “It still hasn’t hit me yet. That I’m a Dad.”

Joan: “Well. I’m a Mom.”

Endeavour: “When is that concert we’re going to?”

Joan: “Ah, the twenty-ninth.”

Endeavour: “Still got some time.”

Joan: “Yes.”

(They walk for a few minutes. They pass a bus stop.)

Endeavour: “Want to take him on the bus?”

Joan: “No, he’s fine here.”

Endeavour: “Is it Saturday?”

Joan: “I believe so.”

Endeavour: “Wonder how I’ll tell the kid what Dad does for a living.”

Joan: “Well, me, I’m just a librarian.”

Endeavour: “I’ve got to put people in jail. Bad people. ‘Dad, what are the bad things people do?’””

Joan: “Somebody’s got to take care of it.”

Endeavour: “It gets boring, frightening...”

Joan: “They need you. You don’t have to be frightened.”

Endeavour: “I can’t help it. I’ve been shot once.”

Joan: “I remember. Must have been awful.”

Endeavour: “It was.”

Joan: “Let’s not talk about this.”

Endeavour: “Fine. Can’t remember the last time I went to the gardens.”

Joan: “We should take him sometime.”

Endeavour: “Yes.”

(He walks forward, looking at the sky.)

Joan: “Careful. You might trip.”

Endeavour: “Nah.”

(He stops for a minute.)

Endeavour: “I want to ask you something.”

Joan: “Yes?”

Endeavour: “Why did you lend me a girlfriend?”

Joan (blinking): “I don’t know what you mean.”

Endeavour: “You set me up with Claudine. Why?”

Joan (slowly): “I thought you might like her.”

Endeavour: “And I fell in love with her.”

Joan (frowning): “Yes.”

Endeavour: “And she left me.”

Joan: “You were only together a few weeks. Do you mean to tell me she’s still on your mind?”

Endeavour: “Yes.”

(Joan stares.)

Joan: “Why are you telling me this? After you proposed to me?”

Endeavour: “Twice.”

(Joan cringes.) 

Joan: “Do you want to – take it back? This is what it’s like with you. Always on the edge of a cliff.” 

Endeavour: “Well, I said I wasn’t on the market.”

Joan: “I wanted you to be happy. Even if you were not with me.”

Endeavour: “Yes, but – she-”

Joan: “Got rid of you, the way you got rid of Monica.”

(He frowns.)

Joan: “You just forgot her.”

(He dips his head and mutters.)

Joan: “All this time, since university, you’ve been rudderless. Your first girlfriend dumped you. And you’ve been confused by every woman you’ve met ever since.”

(Endeavour stares.)

Joan: “After what happened with Ray, I – was frightened. I was frightened.” (She turns away and brushes her hair.) “Didn’t want to meet anybody. Didn’t trust anybody. So I tried to find you a friend. I guess she wanted to advance in her job more than she wanted to be with you. Didn’t want to push a baby in a carriage.” (She turns to stare at him again.) “But me, I’m stuck here at home.” 

(His mouth drops open.)

Joan: “I know you’ve been scanning the papers for her photos.”

(He drops his head, then looks at her again.)

Joan: “Just go find her. Get a passport.”

Endeavour: “There’s a war going on over there.”

Joan: “The United Kingdom has yet to declare war on them. Go.”

Endeavour: “But-”

Joan: “You might get killed. So what? What is that to a man in love?”

Endeavour: “I, I-”

Joan: “You have a son. Look.” (She gestures to Joseph.) “Is that all I’m going to get? A ring, and a birth certificate for my son?”

Endeavour: “I’ve been paying my share of the bills.”

Joan: “As you are supposed to.”

Endeavour: “I’ve been faithful.”

Joan: “I am too. And you are supposed to be.”

Endeavour: “I’ve never hit-”

Joan: “You almost did. And you are not supposed to.”

Endeavour: “What, what-” (He looks to the side.)

Joan: “It never fails, does it? It’s the cute ones who always get away with murder.”

(She turns around and begins to walk the stroller toward the flat. The baby remains blissfully unaware of what is going on.)

Endeavour (half-smiling, and still standing where he was): “So you think I’m cute?”

(She keeps walking.)

(Then he catches up.)

Endeavour: “That’s not really why I asked you that.”

Joan: “So it’ll make sense if you tell me a second time?”

Endeavour: “I wanted to know, were you trying to get rid of me? You couldn’t know what she would do.”

Joan: “Yeah, because every woman knows what every woman is going to do. We all have meetings every night.”

Endeavour: “No.” (She tries to open the door of the flat. He reaches out and stops her.) “Why did you stay in town after that, and why did you say you were sorry when she left?”

Joan: “Because I * was * sorry.”

Endeavour: “Really.”

Joan: “Yes, really.”

Endeavour: “Well.”

Joan: “I saw her photo of you, you know. The one where she signed it. You look so glum. You always look so glum.”

Endeavour: “I do not.”

Joan: “Why did you even let her take the picture?”

Endeavour: “I don’t know, she just did.”

Joan: “It was three years before I saw you smile with your mouth open.”

Endeavour: “Huh?”

Joan: “Why am I even-” (She goes to push the door in. Again, he puts out his hand.)

Endeavour: “Why did you stay in town?”

Joan: “I live here. My job is here. My father is here. My mother * was * here… It’s not all that easy to pick up and leave. See, I’m still saying ‘here,’ and we’re in Abingdon. I’ve got nothing to do. All the attention is on you.”

Endeavour: “What?”

Joan: “Let me just take the baby in.” (She opens the flat door, and pushes the stroller over the door jamb.) “There. Now, what were you saying?”

Endeavour: “You were saying something.”

Joan: “Oh. Yes.” (She pushes the door shut, and walks to the couch with the baby. She takes him out of the stroller, sits down, and holds him.) “Claudine left because she wanted to carry on with her career. There’s a war. It’s important. If you want to be a political photographer, you have to go where the war is. That’s really all that happened.”

Endeavour: “But she could stay here, just move to London, photograph the Parliament.”

Joan: “Oh, already dreaming. Of what she could do.” (She stares at him.) “I can’t believe you. There’s not a war at the Parliament. She wants to win prizes. Earn good money. Make a mark on history books.” (She stops.) “Maybe she’s better at her job than you are at yours.” (She takes a deep breath, to keep from crying.) “It’s obvious you still really want to be with her. You should. She was prettier than me. What do I have to give you? I’m just * normal. *”

Endeavour: “Now-”

Joan: “Maybe if you can’t keep someone-” (Pause) “Then don’t try.”

Endeavour: “I might get old, or something. Then you’ll leave.”

Joan: “Oh… you shaved.”

Endeavour: “You finally noticed.” (He half-smiles again.)

Joan: “Ah.”

Endeavour: “Well, that’s it. I’m afraid every girl is going to walk off and leave me. So sometimes I dump them, and sometimes they get to me first.”

Joan: “I suppose everybody is afraid of, you know, the d-word.”

Endeavour: “Especially if it already happened to their parents.”

Joan: “And then your Mom died. Two things you didn’t expect.”

(Endeavour nods.)

Joan: “And you never had time to grieve properly, over either event. You don’t know who you are. Never – your identity, you don’t-” (She jostles Joseph’s arm with one of her hands, and waves at the air with the other.)

Endeavour (smiling slightly): “You should be a shrink.”

Joan: “No, I should stop trying to be one.” (She sniffles again.) “You know I’m, always crying, I-”

(Endeavour reaches out and puts a thumb over one of her eyes.)

Endeavour: “Stop.” (He smiles and laughs gently.)

Joan: “You know-” (She takes a deep breath, then stops.) 

Endeavour: “What?”

Joan: “Part of me – really wanted you to be out of my hair.”

Endeavour: “Really?”

Joan: “Yes. When I introduced you to Claudine, I really wanted you to hit it off. And for her to not leave you. Because if you were out of my life, then I wouldn’t be a failure anymore. I wouldn’t have to be with you anymore. I would make something good, and thereby be – forgiven for what happened with Ray.”

Endeavour: “What’s this nonsense? What happened with him wasn’t your fault.”

Joan: “Well, Claudine could have been your wife, or your permanent girlfriend. Whatever they call that.”

Endeavour: “Sin.”

Joan: “Yes.” (She laughs, and looks at the baby.) “Poor little sinner.”

Endeavour: “Doesn’t even know what trouble he’s causing.” (He reaches out and shakes one of Joseph’s feet.)

Joan (to Joseph): “We’ll get you christened yet.”

Endeavour: “But – she didn’t want me, not enough, and she just went on with her life. Guess that’s all it was.”

Joan: “Maybe you don’t have to take the end of every relationship as a fall off a cliff. It was a week or two. That’s all.”

Endeavour: “Maybe you see it that way, but I don’t.”

Joan (frowning): “Oh. Well then.”

Endeavour: “I couldn’t make her feel what I was feeling.”

Joan: “Ah.”

Endeavour: “What? You never wondered about the one who got away?”

Joan: “Not when I found you.” (She frowns darkly.) “I was always chasing * you. *”

(He tilts his head.)

Joan: “It’s no use. You’re the big policeman. I’m just a librarian. Who wanted to be a teacher.”

Endeavour: “You could still be one now.”

Joan: “I don’t know. I don’t hear about many people who get second chances in their lives.”

Endeavour: “Second chances happen all the time.”

Joan: “If you’re still interested in her, after all I’ve tried to do for you, and give to you, then I have nothing else. I gave you a child, for pity’s sake. A wedding wouldn’t change things. You’d still be wanting to be with her all the time. For all you know, she might have met somebody over there, and already be married.”

Endeavour: “That’s true.”

Joan: “I guess the sex with her was good? Better than it’s been with me?”

Endeavour (blushing): “Ah, don’t.”

Joan: “If only I could get you to stop thinking with your-” (She looks away for a second.) “You know.”

Endeavour: “I know.”

Joan: “There was a war. I lost it.” (She gets up and carries the baby under her arm, and pushes the stroller back into Joseph’s room. She puts the stroller in the closet, and puts Joseph in the crib. She hands him a teddy bear.)

(He shakes the bear, and throws it half a meter away. She gives it back to him.)

Joan: “He’s a good boy.”

Endeavour: “That he is. I thank my lucky stars he has you for a mother.”

(Joan looks down and smiles.) 

Joan: “You say such things. Bright wants him to be a copper. Well, maybe he was kidding.” (She frowns for a second.) “You know what they say about all coppers.”

Endeavour: “It’s not true.”

Joan: “Yes, your parents were married.”

Endeavour: “It’ll get better.” (He tosses his head.)

Joan: “I hope.” (She sniffles, and looks at the clock.) “It’s only near seven in the morning.” (She sighs.) “You told Jim she was ‘good company.’ While you were reading the newspaper.”

Endeavour: “How did you know?”

Joan (shrugs): “He told me. Maybe you didn’t love her enough. You had fun with her and that’s it. Because you think every good woman is going to be your destruction. It’s like you’re seventeen.”

Endeavour (looking awkward): “Twenty, to be exact. When the girl from university broke up with me.”

Joan: “Well. I’ll let you get back to whatever it is you do when I’m not around.”

Endeavour: “Look at dead people?”

Joan (pause): “I guess.” (She smooths down the waist of her dress.)

Endeavour: “But I don’t have to go in today.”

Joan: “Enjoy yourself.” (She smiles weakly, and walks into the master bedroom.)

(She shuts the door after her. Endeavour follows, seconds after.)

(She looks up at him.)

Joan (quietly): “I thought I’d get some sleep.”

Endeavour: “You know what I was trying to do? What I was really trying to do?”

Joan: “What?”

Endeavour: “I was trying to make her into you.”

Joan (long pause): “Really?”

Endeavour: “But she left. She wasn’t really interested in me. Not enough. I thought she would – you know, stay around here, to see what happened to my life. But you, only you, did that.”

Joan: “Well.” (She blushes furiously.) “That’s the nicest thing anybody has ever-” (She sniffles.)

(Endeavour smiles briefly.) 

Endeavour: “I thought you would’ve seen it, the way I smiled at you, when I first saw you at the house party.”

Joan: “I guess I didn’t know what you wanted. It was me… but I just pushed you away.” (She looks down and begins to cry.)

(Endeavour begins to walk over to her.)

Joan: “Could have had it all, huh.” (She continues to cry.) “Maybe I’m just not as strong as my mother. I’m just not cut out to be – a policeman’s wife.”

(Endeavour puts a hand under her chin.)

Endeavour: “Stop it now, just stop it.”

(He kisses her.)

(Cut to: Some time later. They move together under the covers.)

Endeavour: “Oh, oh-”

Joan: “Ahh-”

Endeavour: “Ahh, Jesus-”

(He gasps, waiting for her to finish first.)

(She does. And then he does as well.)

(He moves to lie beside her. His eyes are wide.)

Endeavour: “What are you, trying to kill me?”

Joan (quietly): “Well, I don’t want you to have another heart attack.”

Endeavour: “I’ve been taking my medicine.”

(He turns a shoulder toward her and digs deeper into the bed. She kisses him on the hair.)

Joan: “It’s morning… it’s Saturday. Let’s get some rest.”

Endeavour: “Hmm.”

 

Act Two, Scene Four

(Later that day. Endeavour opens his eyes first.)

(The phone rings.)

Endeavour: “Hello?”

(He listens to the voice on the other end of the phone. Next to him, Joan stirs a little, although she does not fully wake up.)

Joan: “Hmm.”

Endeavour: “No, I don’t want – my son, you see – well, can’t you take some time out of my other days? I’ve only ever taken a handful of days off in sixteen years, you know.” (Pause) “Well, there was that, yes. The time I went off to the woods. After they put me in jail!” (Pause) “You know-”

(Joan blinks.)

Endeavour: “Oh, all right. Thank you.” (He hangs up.) “Bunch of liars!” 

Joan: “What time is it?” (She sits up.)

Endeavour: “Ten fifteen.”

Joan: “I’ll get the baby.” (She pulls on her clothes and goes to the baby’s room.)

(Endeavour gets up, pulls together some clean clothes, and takes his shower. He comes out fully dressed.)

(Joan walks out with the baby in her arms.)

Endeavour: “I have to go in to the station. They say we got a new lead.”

Joan: “Good luck.” (She kisses him on the cheek.)

(He grabs her and pulls her in for a longer kiss, on the lips.)

Joan: “Be safe.”

Endeavour: “I will.”

(He walks out.)

(He gets in the car and drives to the station. On the way, he listens to a talk segment between the disc jockeys at his favorite station.)

Brian: “Tonight, the Oxford University Singers will be performing – what does it say here? Can you read that for me?”

Vernon: “Bunch of amateurs.”

Brian: “Well, they can’t very well spend all their time working until they graduate. Now, would you please tell me what this says, on this paper? My glasses aren’t so good.”

Vernon: “Then why don’t you clean them?”

Brian: “Help me, please.”

Vernon: “The Oxford University Singers will be performing a whole load of stuff they can’t really sing well. The end.”

Brian: “Oh, you.”

(He arrives at the station, and walks in. He greets Supt. Bright in the hallway.)

Endeavour: “Hello, sir. What’s the news?”

Bright: “There’s been a break in the case about the two sex workers. Julie Bergen has been released from the hospital, and is here to talk to you.”

Endeavour: “Is she in the interview room?”

Bright: “Yes, room four.”

Endeavour: “Thank you.” (He walks to the room.)

(He goes in and shuts the door. The woman is seated at the table.)

Endeavour: “Hello. My name is DS Morse.”

Julie: “’Lo.” (She is quiet, and looks at her hands.)

Endeavour: “I realize you’ve been through an ordeal. I’m not here to judge you.”

Julie: “Yes, you are. My customers are all men.”

Endeavour (pause): “Well, how about you just tell me what happened?”

Julie: “My friend and I were working. A guy drove up and asked both of us to get into the car. Shelly asked what he was into. He said, ‘It’s my money. You’ll do whatever I want.’ She didn’t want to go, but I said – I said we should get in. We needed the money.” (She hugs her elbows.) “So we did.” (Long pause)

Endeavour: “Go on.”

Julie: “He took us to this dive hotel. A few kilometers out of town. He sat down on one bed. We sat on the other. I asked him, ‘So, what do you want us to do?’ He didn’t answer.”

(She begins to breathe harshly.)

Endeavour: “Take your time. Do you want some water?”

Julie: “Yes, that would be good.”

(He goes to the door. He says to a young PC, walking down the hall):

Endeavour: “Bring us some water.”

(The officer brings him a pitcher of water, and a glass.)

Endeavour: “Thanks.” (He shuts the door and puts the water on the table.)

Julie: “Thank you.” (She pours a cup and drinks.) “He just took out some kind of leather-wrapped thing. It looked like a triangle, with a handle on it. It had metal lumps in it.”

Endeavour: “Okay.”

Julie: “And he said, ‘All you whores are strange.’ I looked at her. I said, ‘Maybe we should get going.’ Before we could get out the door, he leaped on Shelly and beat her. I stared. I was too much in shock to help her.”

Endeavour (pause): “Go on.”

Julie: “Then he crossed to my bed, and he got me in a headlock, and he pushed me down. He started to speak about all kinds of religious symbols and nonsense. I was crying.”

Endeavour: “Okay.”

Julie: “He said, ‘That’s why I did it at the place. That’s why I burned it down.’”

Endeavour: “Oh?”

Julie: “Yeah. He said he wanted to get rid of ‘places of lewd entertainment.’ I said, ‘What?’ and he said, he wanted to kill all the people he could find who worked at these places. I said, ‘Leave me alone. I just want to make a living.’ He said, ‘You could have done anything with your life. You chose this because you enjoy it.’”

(She looks down at the table. She gets another drink from the pitcher.)

Julie: “I had a heroin problem. That’s why I chose it. Just needed money.”

(Endeavour nods.)

Julie: “I told him, ‘No, I didn’t,’ but he didn’t want to hear it. He beat me within an inch of my life.” (She sips her water.) “You can see the stitches on my face.”

Endeavour: “Yes. I’m sorry.”

Julie: “I said, ‘Why are you doing this?’ And he said, ‘Because I want to see you suffer. I want to know that you hurt.’” (She starts to cry again.)

Endeavour: “Take your time.” (He reaches in his pocket and hands her some facial tissues.)

Julie: “Thank you.” (She blows her nose.) “The beating just went on. I thought I was going to die.” (She takes a deep breath.) “I bit him on the arm. He let go for a second. I screamed. I heard people come out of their rooms. One of them must have called the police. He heard the sirens of the cars on the way, and he jumped up and ran out of the room. I looked over at my friend. She was dead.”

(Endeavour narrows his eyes.)

Julie: “I went to the hospital.” (She shrugs.) “That was it.”

Endeavour: “Did he say what his name was?”

Julie: “Yeah. He said, ‘You can call me Steve.’ Said that while he was driving us to the place.”

Endeavour: “Do you remember the plate number of his car?”

Julie: “Um, no. Sorry.”

Endeavour: “Do you know anything about a man who was killed while working in the circus?”

Julie: “I’m not sure.”

Endeavour: “They found him with his heart cut out.”

Julie: “Dunno. Sounds like something he may have done, but he didn’t mention anything about it.”

Endeavour: “You’ve done very well. Will you please sign this form?”

(He passes her a page of paperwork. She signs the bottom.)

Julie: “May I go now?”

Endeavour: “Yes. Ah, there are several organizations that can help you with your substance abuse. WPC Manchek at the front desk should be able to give you a list. There’s also one for agencies that can help you find work.”

Julie (quietly): “Thank you.” (She drinks the last of her water.) “I really don’t think I want to – do this for a living anymore. You barely scratch along.”

Endeavour: “There are people who can help you. Good luck.”

Julie: “Thanks.” (She gets up and walks out.)

(Endeavour stretches. He gets up and walks to his desk, where he starts work on a case report.)

(Cut to: He finishes the report, and takes it to Supt. Bright’s office.)

Endeavour: “Sir.” 

Bright: “Thank you. You’re dismissed for the day.”

(Endeavour scratches the side of his head.)

Bright: “Is something wrong?”

Endeavour: “Will you be asking me in for tomorrow?”

Bright: “It’s possible.”

Endeavour: “Okay. I’ll call in the morning, as usual.”

Bright: “Thank you.”

Endeavour: “Am I dismissed?”

Bright: “Yes.”

Endeavour: “Thank you.”

(He clocks out, as it’s the end of the shift. Then he walks to his car.)

(He drives home, and parks. He walks into the flat.)

Endeavour: “Hello.”

(Joan, Joyce, and Thursday are there. They are seated at the table, with the baby in a high chair.)

Thursday: “Hello.”

Joyce: “Hi.”

(Endeavour walks over and kisses Joan on the cheek.)

Joan: “Hello. I was just about to start dinner.”

Endeavour: “What is it?”

Joan: “Salisbury steak.”

Endeavour: “Good. I could use that.”

(Joan gets up and begins to prepare dinner.)

Thursday: “How was work? I never get to meet with you these days.”

Endeavour: “I spoke to Julie Bergen. She told me several interesting things about the man who attacked her.”

Thursday: “Oh?”

Endeavour: “Yes, it’s not fit for mixed company.”

Thursday: “Ah. Gotcha.”

Joyce: “Joan and I went to do a lot of things today. We took young Joseph here to see the swans at the river. Then we went to see this new set of sculptures. They were outdoors.”

Endeavour: “Must have been fun.”

Joyce: “We took pictures. Look.” (She gets out a snapshot of her holding up the baby, in front of a large metal sculpture.) 

Endeavour (smiling): “Nice.”

Joyce: “He didn’t cry much today. You’d think he would, being out in crowded places, but he did okay.”

Endeavour: “That’s my boy.”

(Shortly, Joan comes back in with bowls of soup. She sets them down.)

Joan: “The steak will be ready in just a few minutes.”

Endeavour: “Okay.”

Joyce: “This is pretty good. Chowder.”

Thursday: “Yes.”

Joan (from the kitchen): “Damn.”

Endeavour: “What happened?”

Joan: “Burned my hand. It’ll be all right.”

Thursday: “Wash it with cold water.”

Joan: “I’m all right.”

(Minutes later, she comes in with plates of steak.)

Thursday: “You sure you’re okay?”

Joan: “Yes, I am.”

Endeavour: “Sit down and eat.” (He smiles.)

(They all eat and drink for a while.)

Joyce: “What a handsome young man you’ve raised.” (She smiles at Joseph.)

Endeavour: “You mean me, right?”

(Joyce laughs.)

(Time passes. They talk for a while. Thursday tells a story about his time in the military.)

Thursday: “So I stepped on the mine, and it didn’t go off. Later, one of my friends told me, it was a dud, it didn’t even have any explosive inside it.”

Joyce: “Lucky.”

Thursday: “Yes.”

(Joan takes everybody’s plates back to the kitchen.)

Joyce: “I have to go back tomorrow.”

Joan: “Did you want to consider my offer?”

Joyce: “The babysitting? Well...”

Joan: “We won’t be able to pay you anything huge, but it’ll be something.”

Joyce: “Well… maybe I can start next week. I’d have to sign out of my lease, and get a place in this area.”

Joan: “It’s not too expensive. We don’t have an extra bedroom, I’m sorry.”

Joyce: “Thanks.”

Thursday: “I save the paper every day. I can call rental agents for you.”

Joyce: “Thanks.”

Joan: “It’s at least another month before I have to go back to work, so don’t worry until then. If they make you stay at your flat another month, to run out the lease, that would be okay.”

Joyce: “I’ll see.”

(They talk for a while. Time passes. Eventually):

Joyce: “I have to leave.”

Endeavour: “It was good seeing you.”

Joyce: “You too. Congratulations on your family.”

Endeavour: “Thank you.”

Joyce: “Goodbye now.”

(Endeavour gives her a hug and a kiss on the cheek.)

(Joyce and Thursday walk out.)

(Joan takes the baby to the changing table.)

(She washes and changes the baby. She puts him in a new diaper, and puts his onesie back on.)

(The baby giggles as he is rocked by his mother.)

Joan: “That’s it, little Joey. Good boy.”

(Endeavour walks in. He holds out his arms.)

Endeavour: “Come on.”

(Joan hands him the baby.)

Endeavour: “How you doing?” 

(He rocks the baby back and forth.)

Endeavour: “He really does have my eyes.”

(He turns around to look for Joan, but sees she is not in the room.)

(He puts the baby down in the crib, and shuts off the lights. Then he walks over to the master bedroom.)

(Joan is sitting on the edge of the bed. Her eyes are closed. There is a nightgown next to her.)

Endeavour: “Come on...” (He smiles. He crosses the room, and gently shakes her arm.)

(She wakes with a start.)

Joan: “Oh, goodness.”

(She stands, and grabs the nightgown.)

Joan: “Better get used to being tired. It’ll be another eighteen years before he leaves the house.”

(Endeavour sits on the edge of the bed.)

(Joan moves a few meters away from the bed, and faces away from him. She starts to take off her shirt, then realizes he is still behind her. Without turning around, she says):

Joan: “Ah-”

Endeavour: “Keep going.”

Joan (pause): “...Really?”

Endeavour: “Hmm.”

(She shuts off the light, and continues to get undressed. Then she puts on the gown.)

Endeavour: “Here.” 

(He holds out a hand. She crosses to him.)

(Cut to: Later on. They lie together underneath the covers. She is turned toward him. He is awake, and stares into the distance.)

 

Act Two, Scene Five

(Next day. Endeavour gets up, pulls on his underclothes, and calls the station.)

Endeavour: “Hello, this is DS Morse. I’d like to know if I’m expected to come in today.”

PC: “Ah, let me see if your name’s on the roster. One moment, please.” (He looks it up.) “Yes, you are.”

Endeavour (muttering): “Oh, Christ.”

PC: “What was that?”

Endeavour: “Nothing. Thank you. Goodbye.” (He hangs up.)

(He runs into his room and gets dressed very quickly. He rushes past Joan, who is still fast asleep.)

(Camera on her face for a second.)

(Then back to him, running out the door.)

(He rushes to the car, and is at the station in minutes.)

(He hurries to his desk. Bright and a few others officers stand close by.)

Endeavour: “All right, now what did you need?”

Bright: “Good morning. Dr. DeBryn found some interesting facts at the examination of WPC Miller’s body.”

Endeavour: “And?”

Bright: “He says she did not kill herself, she was strangled.”

Endeavour: “Well, who did it?”

Bright: “The lab received the fingerprints, and they should be done with the analysis later today.”

Endeavour: “I see.”

Bright: “Since you’re the lead detective on this case, we’re going to need for you to wait until the results come in.”

Endeavour: “I will.” (Pause) “I’m the lead?”

Bright: “Of course. We wanted to see if you were good.”

Endeavour (frowns): “Right.”

(He sits at his desk. Bright and the other officers disperse.)

(Endeavour gets some tea and drinks it. He walks back and forth for a moment. Then he goes to Bright’s office.)

Endeavour: “Sir?”

Bright: “Yes?”

Endeavour: “Is Inspector Thursday going to help me at all on this case?”

Bright: “Not likely. He has administrative work to do nowadays.”

Endeavour: “Is that true?”

Bright: “Yes. Consider it a test, as all police work ultimately is.” (Pause) “You didn’t think the good Inspector would be working forever, did you? The man’s only got another four, five years left in him.”

Endeavour: “Why would you say that? How old are you?”

Bright: “Now, that’s not something I’m going to answer. But he said his wife wanted him to retire a year ago. Now she’s passed-”

Endeavour: “Great God, the woman is dead and she’s still controlling him?”

(Bright stands up.)

Bright: “Excuse me, young man. You shut your mouth. I will speak to you outside.”

(Endeavour goes pale.)

Endeavour: “Ah, I didn’t mean it, sir.”

Bright: “Yes, you did. That’s the problem.”

Endeavour (mumbling, and blushing madly): “Yes, sir.”

Bright: “Good, now get back to work.”

Endeavour: “Yes, sir.”

(He walks back to his desk, and sits down. Minutes later, PC Barrow walks past him.)

Endeavour: “How are you?”

Ronald: “Well, sir.”

Endeavour: “May I ask, how did you get your name?”

Ronald: “My mother’s Scottish and my father’s Japanese. He changed his name when he emigrated to England.”

Endeavour: “Oh. Well, good.”

Ronald: “Thank you…” (He looks at Endeavour strangely.)

Endeavour: “Are you going out with…?” (He smiles.)

Ronald: “WPC Manchek? No.”

Endeavour: “Why not?”

Ronald: “She doesn’t like me in that way.”

Endeavour (smiling): “Dames. They don’t know what they need.” 

Ronald (raising an eyebrow): “If you think so, sir.” (He continues walking down the hall.)

(Endeavour frowns, and looks after him.)

Endeavour: “Hey, I was just kidding!” (But PC Barrow does not turn around.)

(Cut to: close to lunchtime. A civilian clerk drops off the envelope from the fingerprint lab on Endeavour’s desk.)

Clerk: “Sir. Here you go.”

Endeavour: “Thank you.” (Endeavour opens the envelope. He reads the materials.) “The prints match the name of Stephen McLean.” (He puts down the pages and blinks.) “Time to ask for a warrant.”

(He picks up the phone handle, and then puts it down.)

Endeavour: “No, I’m going to need some more evidence.” (He puts on his jacket and walks out to the parking lot.)

(Cut to: He drives up to the morgue, and walks in.)

(He walks to Dr. DeBryn’s work room, and knocks on the door.)

Max: “Come in.”

(Endeavour does so.)

Endeavour: “You wanted to see me?”

Max: “I didn’t call for you.”

Endeavour: “But… I’m here, so...” (He smiles.)

(Max frowns. He turns to the wall of body storage cases, and opens the one with WPC Miller’s body in it.)

Max: “Now, see the injuries around her neck. Bruises. Indicates she was strangled. He didn’t hang her. No bits of rope were found embedded in her skin or clothing.”

Endeavour: “Hmm.”

Max: “How come you don’t get sick, like the other one?”

Endeavour: “Excuse me?”

Max: “You don’t throw up. It took me five years to stop throwing up.” (He points to the corner of the room.) “My reports and the photos are over there.”

(Endeavour picks them up.)

Max: “Please get out.”

(Endeavour walks back to his car.)

(He drives back to the station, and goes back to his desk.)

(Then he thinks of something, and calls Lewis. The phone rings.)

Lewis: “Hello?”

Endeavour: “Hello. Where are you? Why haven’t you come in?”

Lewis: “Didn’t they tell you I put in for a transfer? Why did you even call?”

Endeavour: “You have to come in. I need help on this case.”

Lewis: “No.”

Endeavour: “You can’t make the decision. I am ordering you to come in and work on this case.”

Lewis: “I’m your trainee. The one who couldn’t do anything.”

Endeavour: “Ah, everyone makes mistakes.”

Lewis: “Except you.” (He is silent a long time.)

Endeavour: “Well, they’ll pay you overtime.”

Lewis: “No. I don’t get any of that. Haven’t been here long enough.”

Endeavour: “Is that in the rules?”

Lewis: “At least you admit you don’t know them.”

Endeavour: “Well, I didn’t mean anything personal by it.”

Lewis: “Yes. You mean everything you say. So, for that matter, does everyone else.”

Endeavour: “Ah – what are you doing nowadays?”

Lewis: “Trying to plan my wedding. You know, us old farts who want to do what no one wants to do anymore.”

Endeavour: “I never said I had anything-”

Lewis: “Goodbye.” (He hangs up.)

(Endeavour stares at the phone for a moment, then hangs up.)

(He goes to work on his latest report on the case.)

(Time passes. He finishes, and puts the report in an envelope. He takes the report to Supt. Bright’s office.)

Endeavour: “Here you are, sir.”

Bright: “Thank you.”

Endeavour: “The information from Dr. DeBryn shows that the injuries of the deceased are consistent with strangulation.”

Bright: “So, we’re looking at a murderer who struck right in my station? We’re none of us safe anymore.”

Endeavour: “Yes. It looks that way.”

Bright: “How did he get in here? Can you have a look at any of the security cameras?”

Endeavour: “I will, tomorrow.”

Bright: “Yes. Get going. You’ve worked your day.”

Endeavour: “Thank you, sir.” (He walks out.)

(Driving home, he listens again to his favorite station.)

Brian: “Once again, folks, it’s your hosts, helping you enjoy evening traffic just a little bit more. Vernon, why don’t you read us the list of the pieces we’re going to play next?”

Vernon: “I don’t have it.”

Brian: “Why?”

Vernon: “You lost it.”

Brian: “I don’t remember that.”

Vernon: “You don’t remember very much.”

Brian: “Ladies and gentlemen, please excuse us for a moment.”

(There are thumps and screaming.)

(The station goes to a commercial.)

(Endeavour drives home. He gets out.)

(He walks into the flat. Joan is not in the front rooms. He looks around.)

(She is in the baby’s room, seated on the couch. She stares into the distance.)

Endeavour: “Hello.” 

Joan: “I was making dinner. Let me go heat it up for you.”

(She gets up and walks into the kitchen. There are some small pork chops on a heating pan. She turns on the dial again.)

Endeavour: “You look exhausted.” 

Joan: “Read this.”

(She hands him a piece of paper headlined ‘Eviction notice.’)

(His eyes go wide.)

Endeavour: “What is this?”

Joan: “It was taped on the door when I got home.”

Endeavour: “I thought we were okay. Thought the landlord didn’t even know about me.”

Joan: “Somebody must have told him.”

Endeavour: “This is going to ruin my credit rating.”

Joan: “Mine doesn’t even exist.”

Endeavour (sighing): “I thought the landlord was our friend. That he’d overlook the fact that we aren’t married.”

Joan: “Well, maybe someone went over his head. He just watches the property. Someone else may own it.”

(She turns toward the pan, and starts to cry.)

(Endeavour frowns, and puts an arm on her shoulder.)

Endeavour: “Come on. You can’t let this get you down.”

Joan: “See, bad things happen to unmarried people.”

(He pats her shoulder.)

Joan: “Maybe they shouldn’t. Maybe our country is still too prejudiced. We pay the bills. We don’t cause trouble. Still, here we are.”

Endeavour: “And our new little son.”

Joan: “Yes.”

(She sniffles for a while.)

Endeavour: “I can call us a solicitor, tomorrow.”

Joan: “Let’s call the landlord first.”

Endeavour: “Okay.” 

(He picks up the phone and calls Christopher South.)

Endeavour: “Yes, is this Mr. South?”

Christopher: “Yes, it is. Good thing you called me.”

Endeavour: “Yes, I found out about the notice.”

Christopher: “I’m terribly sorry. It wasn’t my idea.”

Endeavour: “Then whose was it?”

Christopher: “Ensifer Leachman.”

Endeavour: “Who?” 

Christopher: “A building inspector. He came to my office and said he had to inspect your flat. Had all the right documents. I had to let him in. So I did, and he sees there are pictures in the main room. Of you two standing around at the park. He says, ‘Oh, who is this? Isn’t only one person allowed on the lease?’ I said, ‘I don’t know,’ but he said, ‘City ordinance. You are not allowed to rent to unmarried couples. Gotta keep civilization safe somehow.’ Honest. I wished I could have punched him on the snoot. Who does he think he is? Disturbing nice, decent people.”

Endeavour: “Thank you for your concern, sir.”

Christopher: “It’s not Victorian times, for Pete’s sake. We don’t say that table legs are ‘limbs.’”

Endeavour: “Indeed. Well, are we allowed to take legal action?”

Christopher: “I asked, but he said no. Said you’ve got until the last day of the month, and then you have to move out. June has 30 days.”

Endeavour: “Okay. God.” (He takes a deep breath.) “Who’s the new MP? The one who replaced Philip Fried?”

Christopher: “Donald Gate.” 

Endeavour: “I’ll see if I can contact his office.”

Christopher: “You are welcome to try.”

Endeavour: “Do you know of any other place that might be willing to take us?”

Christopher: “I think they’re under the same rules. I’m sorry. The only alternative I can think of is buying a house.”

Endeavour (sighing): “Would be allowed to stay here if there’s a wedding?”

Christopher: “The building inspector told me that it wouldn’t count. What matters under the ordinance is her status at the time she moved in.” 

(Endeavour sighs again.)

Christopher: “I’m so sorry. I wish you didn’t have to go. He said if you don’t move out by the 30th, he can file a case against you.”

Endeavour: “Well, we’ll be out by then. Thank you.”

Christopher: “Thank you. Goodbye.” (He hangs up.)

(Endeavour turns to face Joan.)

Endeavour: “Come here.” (He holds out his arms. She crosses to him.)

(He hugs her, and pats her on the back.)

Endeavour: “Cruel world.”

Joan: “I tried… I tried everything I could...”

Endeavour: “Shh.” (He kisses her on top of her head.) “Ah, finish dinner. We could use it.”

Joan (quietly): “Yes.”

(Joan shuts the heat off and puts the chops on plates. She pours a little sauce onto the dishes. Then she puts them on the table. Lastly, she pours glasses of fruit juice and sets them next to the plates.)

Joan: “Ready.”

(They sit and eat.)

Joan: “Baby hasn’t cried much today.”

Endeavour: “Good.” (He wipes his mouth with a serviette.) “Food came out good.”

Joan: “Thank you. Been thinking about my Mom a lot lately. You know, would she like the way I’m raising our kid?”

Endeavour: “I think she would.”

Joan: “Thank you. We’ll have to call Joyce and tell her what happened. Also, I’ll have to change our address at the post office.”

Endeavour: “Later.”

Joan: “Yes.”

(They continue to eat and drink.)

Joan: “I wanted to put flowers at Mom’s stone. Maybe we can go this weekend. Before we have to move.”

Endeavour: “Yes.”

Joan: “Not sure if we should bring Joseph. Might make him cry.”

Endeavour: “I don’t think he’ll understand.”

Joan: “Yeah, probably. How are we going to pay Joyce?”

Endeavour: “I’m still working, and you return to work next month.”

Joan: “True.” (Pause) “Don’t know where we’re going to go after this. I have to call my Dad, too.”

Endeavour: “For tonight, try not to worry about it.”

Joan: “Yeah.”

(They finish dinner. She takes their plates to the sink.)

Joan: “You know, after Ray… I didn’t think my life would turn out like this.”

Endeavour: “Come here.” (He takes her hand and walks with her to the couch. Then he crosses to the TV.)

(He picks a station that is showing the drama ‘Elkwood,’ set in the 1770s.)

Endeavour: “Oh, they’re training to fight the Americans.”

Joan: “Lots of horses. People riding horses.”

(She leans against his shoulder.)

(Cut to: Some minutes later. The door to the baby’s room is open. They hear him wake up and cry.)

Joan: “I’ll get him.” (She goes into his room. She picks him up.)

Endeavour: “Bring him out.”

(Joan does. She sits on the couch.)

(The baby crawls to his Dad. Endeavour picks him up.)

Endeavour: “My, you’re a handsome little fellow.” (The baby giggles.) “Never thought my son was going to look like that. Never thought I’d even have one.”

Joan: “Well.” (She half-smiles.)

(Some time passes. Then, Joan gets up.)

Joan: “I’m so tired. Here. Let me put him back to bed.”

Endeavour: “All right.” (He gets up, and they both walk into the baby’s room. He hands the child to her. She takes Joseph to the changing table, where she cleans him up with an antiseptic wipe and changes his diaper. She puts on his little pajamas and sets him down in the crib.)

Joan: “Hope he sleeps a few hours at one go.”

Endeavour: “Hmm.”

(They both walk into the master bedroom.)

(He takes pajamas out of the dresser, and walks into the washroom. She stands by the side of the bed.)

(He comes back, and shuts off the lights. She is still standing there.)

Endeavour: “Well!” (Pause) “Coming to bed?”

(Joan nods. She goes to the dresser and takes out a nightgown. A couple meters away from him, she turns around and changes clothes.)

(He sucks in his breath. He can barely see her outlined in the moonlight coming through the blinds.)

Endeavour: “Oh...”

(When she is done, she turns around. He holds out his hands.)

Endeavour (quietly): “Come.”

(She crosses to him. He pulls her on top of him. He kisses her, and smiles.)

Endeavour: “I waited to be with you for so long...”

(He kisses her again, for much longer.)

(Cut to: some time later. A view of the bed from the foot. Their legs move together.)

(Camera back to the shoulder view.)

Joan: “Oh… oh...”

(Some time later. He lies with his elbows stretched out. She is turned toward him. Her hair is splayed out over the pillow.)

(Her eyes close. He stays awake for a while.)

 

Act Three, Scene One

(The next day. Endeavour walks into work. Lewis is seated across from him.)

Endeavour: “What are you doing here?”

Lewis: “Duty sergeant called me. Told me to come in. I didn’t want to. He told me I had to.”

Endeavour: “That’s interesting.”

Lewis: “So, I’m supposed to help you?”

Endeavour: “Yes. We’ve got to get a warrant for a Stephen McLean. I suspect him in the death of, well, everyone who’s died so far. And the beating of one person who didn’t die.”

Lewis: “All right.”

Endeavour (pause): “Really? You’re not going to quarrel with me over this?”

Lewis: “There’s a time to fight, and a time not to. I just want to finish this as soon as possible, and get back home.”

Endeavour: “All right. Let’s call the magistrate.”

(Endeavour picks up the phone. He dials the magistrate’s office.)

(Lewis gets a cup of water from the cooler and drinks it all in one go.)

Endeavour: “Hello, is this Mr. Cooper’s office?”

Clerk: “Yes.”

Endeavour: “Is he available at the moment?”

Clerk: “I think so. I’ll patch you over.” (He transfers the call.)

(The magistrate picks up.)

Cooper: “Hello?”

Endeavour: “Hello, this is DS Morse, from the Thames Valley Police. How are you today?”

Cooper: “Well enough. What can I help you with?”

Endeavour: “I need you to sign a warrant.”

Cooper: “Very well. I’ll be here until 5:00.”

Endeavour: “Yes. It’s for three counts of murder and one of attempted murder.”

Cooper: “Well, if you have the evidence, I’ll sign it.”

Endeavour: “Thank you, sir.”

Cooper: “Goodbye, now.” (He hangs up.)

Endeavour: “Okay.”

(He and Lewis walk to the car.)

Endeavour: “I’m the lead detective on this case.”

Lewis: “Okay.”

Endeavour: “Why don’t you argue with me anymore?”

Lewis: “Because I don’t love you.”

(Lewis smirks for a second, and gets in the car.)

(They drive to the magistrate’s office. Endeavour opens the door. Lewis walks behind.)

(They walk up to the front desk.)

Endeavour: “Hello, can we see Mr. Cooper now?”

Clerk: “Yes, sir. Right this way.”

(He walks with them down a short hallway, and knocks on a door.)

Clerk: “Sir?”

Cooper: “Come in!”

(The clerk opens the door, and walks back to his desk.)

(The detectives walk in.)

Endeavour: “Afternoon, sir.”

Cooper: “You are the one who wanted a warrant, right? What evidence do you have?”

Endeavour: “Fingerprints, blood type, a recorded conversation with the sex worker who survived an attack.”

Cooper: “I see. Well, let’s sign it.” (He takes out a pen and signs the bottom of the document.)

Endeavour: “Thank you.”

Cooper: “Have a good day, now.”

(The detectives walk out.)

(Lewis takes the warrant and reads it.)

Lewis: “’For the murders of Gabriel Turner, Shelly Bauer, and WPC Andrea Miller, and the attempted murder of Julie Bergen.’ Busy guy.”

Endeavour: “Yeah, we just can’t get enough of him.”

(They get in the car and get back on the road.)

Lewis: “Can we stop for something to eat? I haven’t had anything all day.”

Endeavour: “Yeah, I guess. Are you paying?”

Lewis: “I’ll pay for myself.”

Endeavour: “Fair deal.”

(He drives until he finds a place with a drive-through. He orders two chicken sandwiches and fizzy drinks for them both. Lewis hands him some money.)

Endeavour: “Thank you.” (They get the food. He drives away.)

Lewis: “Do we know where this McLean person lives?”

Endeavour: “I have to look him up in the phone book. If he’s not there, we’ll try something else.”

Lewis: “Okay.”

Endeavour (pause): “I think I like the new you.”

(They drive back to the station, and take their food to the canteen. They sit at a table.)

Endeavour: “So, what have you been up to? You said, trying to book the wedding?”

Lewis: “Yes, it’s going to be at St. Ninian’s.”

Endeavour: “I know it.”

Lewis: “Yes. Valerie likes the iconography.”

Endeavour: “Oh?”

Lewis: “Yes. The Virgin and the Christ Child behind the altar.”

Endeavour: “Ah. I haven’t been to church much in a while. I guess Ms. Thursday would like for me to go.”

Lewis: “Yeah.” (He eats his sandwich.)

Endeavour: “You’re still not bugging me over this?”

(Lewis shrugs. He sips his drink.)

Endeavour: “Am I going to get an invite?”

Lewis: “Don’t know.”

Endeavour: “That’s honest.”

(They finish eating, and throw out their trash.)

Endeavour: “Now, to find Mr. McLean.”

(They walk back to their desks. Endeavour gets out a phone book.)

Endeavour: “Selena McLean, Sharon McLean… Stephen. Right here.” (He points at the book and dials the number.) 

(The phone rings several times. Then someone picks up.)

Stephen: “Hello?”

Endeavour: “Ah, yes, this is DS Morse with the Thames Valley Police. We’d like to speak to you in person. At the station.”

Stephen: “About what? What is this?”

Endeavour: “It’s related to a case.”

Stephen: “Are you saying I did something?”

Endeavour: “It’s germane to our investigation.”

Stephen: “Why should I? Can I bring a solicitor?”

Endeavour: “You may if you wish.”

Stephen: “Right. What time do you want me to come in?”

Endeavour: “Can you get here within the hour?”

Stephen: “I’ll try.” (He slams down the receiver.)

Lewis: “Made another friend.”

Endeavour: “Go see if one of the interview rooms is ready.”

Lewis: “Gotcha.”

(Lewis walks down the hall and checks. He comes back.)

Endeavour: “Well?”

Lewis: “Room three is open.”

Endeavour: “Okay.” 

(They sit and wait at their desks. Endeavour turns up the classical radio station. Lewis reads the newspaper.)

(Then, a PC walks up to them.)

PC: “Sirs, a man is here to see you.”

Endeavour: “Let him.”

(The detectives get up. They walk down the hall, to the front desk.)

(McLean is there. He is in his mid-thirties, medium build, with black hair.)

Stephen: “Sirs.”

Endeavour: “Let’s go, shall we.”

(He leads them down the hall to the interview room. They take seats. There is an extra policeman standing guard near the door.)

Stephen: “Gentlemen. I have called my solicitor. He said he would meet me here. It should be a few more minutes.”

Endeavour: “All right.”

(Lewis takes out a pen and taps the desk with it. Stephen winces.)

(Minutes later, the solicitor arrives. The guard lets him in.)

Edward: “Hello, gentlemen. My name is Edward Mercy.”

Endeavour: “Hello.”

Lewis: “Afternoon.”

Edward: “With what has my client been charged?”

(Endeavour takes out the warrant.)

Endeavour: “This is the document. Three counts of murder, one of attempted murder.”

Edward: “Of whom?”

Endeavour: “Gabriel Turner, Shelly Bauer, WPC Andrea Miller, and the count of attempted murder is for Julie Bergen.”

Edward: “You must be joking!”

Endeavour: “We can bring her in to give evidence against him. She survived a beating, on the night he murdered her friend.”

Edward: “A sex worker. I doubt most jurors will believe her words.”

Lewis: “We’ll see.” 

Edward: “Now. What is the story here?”

Endeavour: “Your client, in fits of religious mania, killed three people and tried to kill a fourth.”

Edward: “Religious! So now you’ve got him calling upon the name of God. When did he do that?”

Endeavour: “On the night he beat Shelly Bauer to death, and Julie Bergen half to death.”

Edward: “Can I hear this?”

Endeavour: “You will, if he chooses to go to trial. Otherwise, he can plead guilty. Have it your way.” (He drums his fingers on the table.)

(Stephen leans over and whispers something to Edward. The solicitor straightens up again.)

Edward: “What is the bail likely to be?”

Endeavour: “Ought to be tens of thousands of pounds. At least.”

Lewis: “Just on the body count.”

Stephen: “But I didn’t-”

Edward: “Shut up.” (Pause) “We would like a few minutes to discuss the case.”

Endeavour: “All right.”

(Edward and Stephen lean toward each other and whisper heavily. They converse for about five minutes.)

Edward: “We would like to take this to trial.”

Endeavour: “I’ve heard that before. Okay, let’s put him under arrest. He can stay in jail until he posts bail.”

Edward: “When are we going to learn what that would be?”

Endeavour: “Tonight or tomorrow. Whenever the judge calls for him.”

(Stephen begins to look very scared.)

Stephen: “That long? I can’t just pay and go home?”

Endeavour: “Try reading some regulations. Until then, in the cell you go.” (He takes out a pair of handcuffs.) “Come on. I’ll read you your rights. Stephen McLean, I am arresting you on charges of three counts of murder and one count of attempted murder. You do not have to say anything. But, it may harm your defense if you do not mention when questioned something which you later rely on in court. Anything you do say may be given in evidence. Is that clear?” (He fastens the cuffs on McLean.)

Stephen: “Yes.”

Endeavour: “We’ll take you to the booking area.” (Both detectives walk out, with Stephen and his solicitor.)

(They reach the booking area of the station. A PC takes out the fingerprint form.)

PC: “I understand your prints are already in our system. This is just a formality.”

Endeavour: “Oh, you’ve heard about this illustrious man?”

PC: “Yes. Word spreads quickly.”

Endeavour: “Then heave to, please.”

PC: “Gladly.”

(He finishes the print card process, then sends the man a few meters away, to have his mugshot taken.)

(This is soon complete. McLean returns to the booking desk.)

PC: “Did they read you your full rights?”

Stephen: “Yes.”

PC: “And you have a solicitor?”

Edward: “That’s me.”

PC: “Very well. Enjoy sitting in your cell until the bail hearing.”

(Endeavour and the rest walk down to the jail, where Morse locks Stephen in a cell.)

Endeavour: “You will be given food and water in good time. Try not to panic.” (He steps out and locks the door.)

Stephen (to Edward): “You’ll call for me, right?”

Edward: “At least once a day.” 

Stephen: “Thank you.”

Edward: “At your service.”

(The remaining three turn and walk back to the front hallway of the station.)

Edward: “Gentlemen, I’ll leave you my business card.” (He hands one to Morse.)

Endeavour: “Thank you.”

Edward: “If you need to speak to me, call me.”

Endeavour: “We will.”

Edward: “Thank you.” (He turns and walks out.)

Lewis: “Well, let’s get to our reports.”

(They walk back to their desks. Each starts to type a report.)

(Cut to: The end of shift. They finish the reports and put them in envelopes.)

Endeavour: “Kindly take these to Supt. Bright’s office, please.”

Lewis: “Yes.”

(He walks to Bright’s room and knocks on the open door.)

Bright: “Yes?”

Lewis: “Here are our reports, sir.”

Bright: “Thank you. I didn’t expect you to come back. How did you get notice?”

Lewis: “Ah, the duty sergeant called me.”

Bright: “Have you rescinded your request for a transfer?”

Lewis: “No, I have not. It should still be in the system.”

Bright: “I see. We’ll be sorry to see you go.”

Lewis: “I know one person who won’t.”

Bright: “Oh?”

(Lewis smiles awkwardly.)

Lewis: “Well, I must be going.”

Bright: “Yes, well, see you later, then.”

Lewis: “Thank you, sir.”

(He turns and walks back to his work station.)

Endeavour: “Well. Need a ride home?”

Lewis: “I’ll take the bus.”

Endeavour (sighs): “Come on.”

(The two walk out to his car. They get in.)

(Endeavour flips on the usual station. He heads out into traffic.)

Brian: “And that’s our show for tonight, folks.”

Vernon: “No, it’s not.”

Brian: “We are done with all our-”

Vernon: “You won’t let me read.”

Brian: “Would you shut your-”

Vernon: “Ladies and gentlemen, please enjoy the following piece-”

(The show goes to dead air.)

(Lewis yawns. He continues to do this as Endeavour drives.)

(The car reaches Lewis’ block.)

Endeavour: “Out with you.” 

Lewis: “Thank you.”

(He walks to the door and lets himself in.)

(Endeavour drives off.)

(He heads back to the flat. He parks and gets out.)

(Endeavour opens the door. He notices that the flat is mostly dark.)

(He spots his sister Joyce, sleeping on the couch. She has the baby’s handheld carrier placed next to her.)

(Startled, Endeavour wakes her up. He gently shakes her arm.)

Endeavour: “Hello again. What are you up to?”

Joyce: “Ah.” (She stretches her arms.) “I was watching the baby. I was only asleep for a few minutes.”

Endeavour: “I believe you. Is Joan here?”

Joyce: “She said she went to dinner with her friends.”

Endeavour: “She has friends?”

Joyce (puzzled): “I assume so.”

Endeavour: “Oh.” (He scratches his ear.) “Well, I’ll find something to eat. It’s only half-past six.”

Joyce: “Yes.”

(Camera on Endeavour, as he looks in the fridge for something to eat.)

Endeavour: “Do you want anything?”

Joyce: “No, I had a grape jam sandwich before.”

Endeavour: “Out of my fridge? That’s fifteen pence.”

(Joyce smiles.)

 

Act Three, Scene Two

(At a place called Lenore’s in town. They serve lunch and dinner, with a menu that consists mostly of soups and sandwiches.)

(Camera over to Joan, seated with Rachel Fisk and Cheryl Abramowitz. They had been her roommates up until last year.)

Joan: “I was so surprised when I got your call. I thought you’d forgotten all about me.”

Rachel: “Yes, well, I thought I’d see what you were up to. You seem to be getting along fine.”

Cheryl: “With, you know, a baby, and everything.”

Rachel: “Yes, tell us about that.”

Joan: “Well, I did give birth two or three months early. We were very worried.”

Rachel: “No kidding! And the baby turned out okay?”

Joan: “He was very small when he was born, but he’s fine now. Growing as fast as he can.”

Cheryl: “What did you name him?”

(The waitress walks up. She puts down three plates.)

Waitress: “For you, turkey sandwich.” (This she puts in front of Joan.) “And the two of you had roast beef sandwiches.” (She puts the other plates in front of Cheryl and Rachel.)

Cheryl: “Yes, thank you.”

Waitress: “Okay, then. Eat up.”

Rachel: “Thank you.” (The waitress walks away.)

(They start to eat.)

Rachel (to Joan): “Hmm, mine’s good. How’s yours?”

Joan: “Very nice as well.”

Cheryl: “Back to the baby. You were going to say what you named him?” (She shoots Joan a curious smile.)

Joan: “Well… Joseph Matthew Morse.”

(Rachel and Cheryl both look startled.)

Rachel: “So you wound up with that Elwood fellow. I guess he was good at more than kissing!”

Joan: “Endeavour. And yes, he is – well, I’m not going to say.” (She blushes and touches a hand to her lips.)

Cheryl: “Um, why are you not wearing your wedding ring?”

(Joan blushes deeply. For a moment, she does not speak.)

Rachel: “...Oh.”

Cheryl: “No, I’d like to know.”

Rachel (to Cheryl): “Shush. * You * haven’t been to the altar yet, for pity’s sake.”

Cheryl: “Well-”

Rachel: “Oh, for crimony!” 

Joan (quietly): “We’re not married yet.” (She holds out her left hand.)

Rachel: “Oh! It’s a beautiful ring!”

Cheryl: “Wow.” (She touches Joan’s fingers.) 

(From the back of the room, there is a noise.)

(A man gets up and starts to shout.)

Michael: “Look! It’s her!”

(He staggers his way over to the table with Joan and her friends.)

Rachel: “What are you talking about?”

Cheryl: “Could you shut your yap, please?”

Michael: “It’s her! I found her!” (He points at Joan.)

Rachel: “Would you get out of her face.”

Cheryl: “Waitress, can you help us, please?”

Joan: “Excuse me, who are you?”

Michael: “Don’t tell me you don’t know me. I know you. You went with my friend.”

Joan: “What friend? I’ve never seen you before in my life.”

Michael: “You know, Robert.”

Joan: “What Robert? I don’t know a Robert.”

Michael: “Yes, you did. You kissed him. A sloppy, wet kiss. Like this.” (He purses his lips.)

(The waitress walks over.)

Waitress: “All right, sir, I’ll have to ask you to leave.”

Michael: “But I was just trying to talk to her! To get her to admit the truth!” 

Waitress: “You’re being rude and disruptive, sir. Walk out right now, or I’ll call the police.”

Michael: “What? It’s true!”

Waitress: “Come with me.” (She grabs his sleeve and pushes him toward the door. They walk outside.)

(Joan dips her head and starts to cry.)

Rachel: “Hey. Stop crying.”

Cheryl: “Yeah, I’m sure he mistook you for someone else. He just had you rattled.”

Rachel: “What a loser.”

Joan (sniffling): “I know.” (She wipes her nose with a serviette.)

(Cheryl signals another waiter.)

Cheryl: “Excuse me, sir, could we get our check, please? And three take-home boxes.”

Waiter: “Certainly.” 

(In a moment, he returns with the check and the boxes.)

Rachel: “This one’s on me.” (She pays, and leaves a generous tip.)

(The three pack up their sandwiches and get up to leave.)

(They walk out to the parking lot. They get in Cheryl’s car.)

Cheryl: “Now, where did you say you lived?”

Joan: “In Abingdon.”

Cheryl: “Only a few minutes’ drive. Right.”

(She puts on a station that is playing Motown. She drives off.)

(Some minutes later, she takes the turn for Abingdon.)

Cheryl: “Tell me where it is.”

Joan: “Ah, turn here, please.”

(They reach the block with Joan’s flat.)

Joan: “Stop here. Thank you.” (She turns to say goodbye.) “It was wonderful to see you again. Call me anytime.”

Rachel: “Yes. So sorry about that loser.”

Cheryl: “Bye now.”

Joan: “Bye.” (She gets out and opens the door. The others drive off.)

(Endeavour gets up off the couch.)

Endeavour: “Hello.”

Joan: “Hello.”

Endeavour: “Did you have a nice dinner?”

Joan: “Well… yes and no.”

Endeavour: “Oh?”

Joan: “There was this drunk guy. He staggered up to me and he claimed to know me from somewhere. I’ve never seen him before in my life.”

Endeavour: “Really?”

Joan: “Of course. He said I’d kissed his friend, Robert.”

Endeavour: “And did you?” (He half-smiles. She knows he is kidding, but answers him.)

Joan: “No. I swear I’ve never kissed anyone named Robert. I don’t even know anybody named Robert.”

(She goes into the bathroom and shuts the door. She is in there for a few minutes, then comes out.)

Joan: “Well?”

(Endeavour frowns and puts his hands in his pockets.)

Endeavour: “My sister Joyce was here. She said you left the baby with her.”

Joan: “Yes, I did. Right before I left to go to Lenore’s. I called her.”

Endeavour: “Did she take a taxi?”

Joan: “The bus, she said.”

Endeavour: “Yeah. Okay.”

Joan: “Call the manager of the restaurant. We have at least an hour before they close.”

Endeavour: “Not tonight.”

Joan (staring): “Okay.” 

(She goes to the linen closet and gets out sheets and a pillow. She brings them to the couch.)

Endeavour: “For me?”

Joan: “No. For me.”

(Endeavour picks up the pillow and holds on to it.)

(He looks her in the eyes. He kisses her.)

Endeavour: “You don’t have to.”

Joan (long pause): “I’m sorry.”

Endeavour: “Shh.”

(He kisses her on top of the head, then caresses her chest. She puts her hands on his hips.)

(He leans over, so that his whole body stretches over hers. She murmurs.)

(He hastens to undo his belt. His hips grind into hers. He closes his eyes.)

(He kisses and then gently nibbles her neck.)

(Endeavour murmurs, trying to keep it down, so they don’t wake up the baby.)

Joan: “Oh...”

(She closes her eyes.)

(Finally, he finishes. She lets go.)

(She rushes to the washroom. Then she comes out.)

(They walk slowly into the master bedroom.)

 

Act Three, Scene Three

(Endeavour gets up and gets ready for the day. Before he leaves, he stops in the baby’s room. He kisses his fingers and touches them to the forehead of his son.)

(Then he walks out to the car. He heads to the station.)

(Lewis is there again.)

Endeavour: “You’re still coming in? Didn’t they process your request for a transfer?”

Lewis: “It must have gotten stuck, somewhere in the bureaucratic process.”

Endeavour: “Well, let’s just try and work together, then.”

Lewis: “I will.”

Endeavour: “Did you hear any news about the McLean case?”

Lewis: “Yes. He wants to confess. News came down from Supt. Bright this morning.”

Endeavour: “Confess?”

Lewis: “Yes. From what I heard.”

(Endeavour stands there and scratches his head. Then he walks off to get some tea.)

(When he gets back to his work station, Supt. Bright is there.)

Endeavour: “Good morning, sir.”

Bright: “Morning.”

Endeavour: “I hear that McLean wants to confess?”

Bright: “That’s what he said. He woke up in his cell, in the middle of night, and said he wanted to talk to someone. He said he did it.”

Endeavour: “All the crimes?”

Bright: “Everything he’s been charged with.”

Endeavour: “So, maybe we can get this wrapped up by the end of the day.”

Bright: “Perhaps.”

Endeavour: “Are we waiting for his solicitor to get here?”

Bright: “The man’s been called.”

Endeavour: “All right.”

(Minutes later, the solicitor arrives. He walks in the front door and speaks to the desk officers.) 

Edward: “Hello, I’m the gentleman who’s been retained by Mr. McLean.”

PC: “May I see your ID, please?”

(Edward shows them his driver’s license.)

Sergeant: “Fair enough. Please wait by the wall there.” (He points to some chairs next to the doorway.)

(But he doesn’t have to sit down: Morse and Lewis walk up to the desk.)

Endeavour: “Morning, Mr. Mercy.”

Edward: “Thank you. Let’s go to the room again.”

(The three walk to the interview room. Morse and Lewis sit on the same side of the table. Edward sits across from them.)

Endeavour (to the guard): “Please fetch the prisoner.”

PC: “Yes, sir.”

(In a few minutes, he comes back with Stephen McLean, who is in a jail jumpsuit and handcuffs. He sits McLean down in a chair, next to Mercy.)

Endeavour: “You wanted to speak to us, Mr. McLean?”

Stephen: “Yes. It’s about time.”

Endeavour: “Fair enough.”

Stephen: “I did it. But not because of any hateful reason. I did it for Christ Jesus.”

(Endeavour and Lewis barely shift on their chairs.)

Stephen: “See, I view his life as perfection. And I wanted to make other people live that way.”

Edward (to Stephen): “Can we talk about this?”

Stephen: “No.” (He keeps looking at the detectives.) “Every time I met someone, I would tell them about the Lord and His message.”

Endeavour: “Did you hear messages from God at any point? Do you believe God selected you as a prophet?”

Stephen: “Yes. Every day.”

(Lewis blinks.)

Stephen: “I burned down the building because that was where the circus workers kept their supplies. If I burned it, they wouldn’t be able to host these mad events anymore.”

Endeavour: “Did you kill Gabriel Turner?”

Stephen: “Yes. I did it because he was a frivolous man, doing frivolous things.”

Lewis: “Why did you cut out his heart? Where did you bury it?”

Stephen: “In the forest.”

Lewis: “Outside of town?”

Stephen: “Yes.”

Lewis: “But why?”

Stephen: “He had to learn a lesson.”

Lewis: “Was he dead when you cut it out of him?”

Stephen: “Yes. Learning goes on forever.”

(Lewis blinks.)

Endeavour: “Why did you kill the sex worker, why did you try to kill the other one, and why did you kill WPC Andrea Miller?”

Lewis: “How did you even get in the station to do that?”

Stephen: “I killed the sex worker because no one should use their body that way. Their bodies were given by God for the joy of their husbands. They were diluting and poisoning themselves every day. So I made them suffer.”

(Endeavour and Lewis just stare.)

Lewis: “How did you enter the station to kill WPC Miller?”

Stephen: “I came at night, and I was dressed as a maintenance worker. I slipped into the work room where she was. I broke her neck.”

Lewis: “Was that to teach her a lesson, too? She wasn’t enjoying herself at the time.”

Stephen: “A woman shouldn’t have a job. St. Paul doesn’t say so.”

Lewis: “So… when was she going to meet a man, who could marry her and let her stop working?”

Stephen: “I haven’t the slightest idea.”

Lewis: “Then why did you kill her?”

Stephen: “I didn’t want to see her doing something like that. A job that should be done by a man.”

Lewis (in a droll tone): “You wouldn’t be alone if you joined the force here.”

(Endeavour glares at him, then looks back at Stephen.)

Endeavour: “The evidence points to you.”

Stephen: “As it should. I did it.”

Edward: “Can I say something, before he signs a confession?”

Endeavour: “Yes.”

Edward: “He hasn’t yet been given a mental health exam. If we could do that before he signs the paper?”

Endeavour: “Yes. I don’t see why not.”

Edward: “All right, then.” (He faces Stephen.) “You will go back to your place to wait. One more day. We will have the doctors come and get you tomorrow. They will examine you, and present the results to these officers. It may be able to change the verdict, or at least reduce your sentence.”

Stephen: “All right.”

Edward: “Thank you, gentlemen.” 

(All the men stand up. They walk out of the room, and take Stephen back to his cell. Edward then leaves by the front door of the station.)

Lewis: “Let’s write our reports.”

(He and Endeavour walk back to their work stations, and begin to type the daily reports.)

(Cut to: They finish up, and put their reports in envelopes. Endeavour hands his envelope to Lewis.)

Endeavour: “Drop this off with Mr. Bright.”

Lewis: “Yes.”

(Lewis walks down to Supt. Bright’s room.)

Bright: “Hello.”

Lewis: “Good afternoon, sir.” 

Bright: “Thank you for the reports.”

Lewis: “Yes, sir.”

Bright: “You look tired.”

Lewis: “Just spoke to a madman, sir. A murderer, who saw himself as doing the work of God. He wanted to confess.”

Bright: “And did he?”

Lewis: “Yes. His solicitor wants him to take an exam from his doctors, to see if he’s even competent, or should just go to a mental hospital.”

Bright: “Well, that’s what’s necessary. Let them do it, and we’ll see what comes out. Either way, he’ll spend at least the next twenty years away from the public. Either in prison, or in a mental institution.”

Lewis: “Yes, sir. I’ll keep that in mind.”

Bright: “You are dismissed.”

Lewis: “Thank you.”

(He turns and walks back to his work station.)

Endeavour: “That’s it?”

Lewis: “That’s it.” (They get their jackets.) “I’m sorry Marcia didn’t make it.”

Endeavour (pause): “Yes.”

Lewis: “I was looking forward to being at Jim and Marcia’s wedding.”

Endeavour: “Hmm.”

Lewis: “So – well, I’m not going to ask.”

Endeavour: “What?”

Lewis: “I shouldn’t. It’s not my business.”

Endeavour: “If you mean, when am I getting hitched, I’m working on it.”

Lewis: “Thank you.”

(They walk out to the parking lot.)

Endeavour: “Drive you home?”

Lewis: “No. I’d rather walk to the bus station.”

Endeavour: “Would you at least let me drop you there?”

Lewis: “No.” (He walks off.)

(Endeavour watches for a moment, then goes to his car.)

(On the way home, he listens to the classical station.)

Vernon: “Hello, everyone. Let’s listen to Franz Liszt.” (A piece begins to play.)

(Endeavour faintly smiles, happily surprised that the team of Vernon and Brian are no longer fighting.)

(He drives home, and pulls up in front of Joan’s flat. He opens the door.)

(Thursday and Joyce are sitting in the living room. Joyce is holding baby Joseph.)

Endeavour: “Hello.” (He puts away his coat and smiles.)

Thursday (glumly): “Hello, young man.”

Endeavour: “How do you manage to get home so much earlier than me?”

Thursday: “I leave a few minutes early.”

Endeavour: “Oh.” (Pause) “How’s Joseph?”

Joyce: “He’s doing fine.”

Endeavour: “Ah, I just remembered, I have a call to make. If you’ll excuse me.”

(The other two, with the baby, get up and walk into the kitchen.)

(Endeavour picks up the phone. He dials Lenore’s Restaurant.)

Endeavour: “Hello, may I please speak to your manager?”

Malcolm: “This is him. How may I help you?”

Endeavour: “I want to ask you about an argument that happened there last night.”

Malcolm: “Oh, you’re right. The big argument. Some idiot, name of Michael Burns, started yelling at this woman named Joan.”

Endeavour: “We’re engaged. Go on.”

Malcolm: “He said she kissed his friend named Robert. She said she didn’t even know anybody by that name. He kept yelling. One of her friends asked the waitress to tell the man to leave. She did. I don’t know who that guy was. He was probably just drunk.”

Endeavour: “Aha. Did you file any kind of charges?”

Malcolm: “No, but there are orders that he’s not to be allowed back on our premises any time soon.”

Endeavour: “I see. Thank you for your time.”

Malcolm: “Not a problem.” (He hangs up.)

(Endeavour stands up and goes into the kitchen.)

Thursday (sighing): “Young man, you’re not going to like this.”

Endeavour: “What?”

Thursday: “Joan is not here. She left for Manchester.”

Endeavour: “What?”

Thursday: “I tried to stop her. I couldn’t.”

Endeavour: “When did she leave? Did she take the train?”

Thursday: “About half an hour ago. She was very upset. She told me she had an argument with this person at the restaurant, last night.”

Endeavour: “Well, that’s true.”

Thursday: “I asked her not to leave. By the way, do you know what happened?”

Endeavour: “She said someone at the restaurant claimed she kissed somebody named Robert. She said she didn’t even know anyone by that name.”

Thursday: “And?”

Endeavour: “I just spoke to the manager of the restaurant where she and her friends ate dinner. It, ah, seems like a true story.”

Thursday: “Just now? So, you didn’t speak to him yesterday, when it happened?”

Endeavour: “Ah, no. Did she take a taxi or a bus to the train station?”

Thursday: “She called a taxi.”

Endeavour: “And what time was the train scheduled to depart?”

Thursday: “I don’t know, son. You’d better go quickly.”

Endeavour: “Right.” (He puts his jacket back on and heads out.)

(Cut to: Endeavour drives speedily toward the train depot. He parks on a side street and runs up the stairs, to the platform.)

(He doesn’t see her at first. He runs up to the ticket seller’s window.)

Endeavour: “Excuse me, did you see a woman come up here, and ask for a ticket for Manchester? Would have been about a half hour ago. She’s about five foot nine, black hair.”

Carla: “Ah, yes. I sold her a ticket for a one-way to Manchester. That’s on track three.”

Endeavour: “Thank you.”

(He runs up the short stairs to the track. He finds track three, and begins to look for her.)

(He spots her light blue suitcase, next to the bench. It is visible some meters away.)

(Endeavour runs up to the spot, but she isn’t sitting next to it. He figures she may have gone to use the washroom, and decides to wait for her. He stands next to a stanchion.)

(He turns around, and looks in the other direction. For a few minutes, he gazes into the distance.)

(Without noticing him, she comes back. She sits down on the bench and takes a packet of candy out of her handbag.)

(He turns around and spots her.)

Endeavour: “I hear Manchester is nice this time of year.”

(She turns around, with a yelp of shock.)

Joan: “Oh!”

(She stares at him for a few seconds. She looks very sad and frightened.)

(He takes that minute to slip onto the bench next to her.)

Joan: “Please.” (She turns away and starts to cry.)

Endeavour: “You weren’t even going to stay home to explain? I thought we left it all right.”

Joan: “Sex doesn’t always solve everything.”

(Endeavour blinks.)

Joan: “I don’t know anybody named Robert. Certainly never kissed anybody else since I’ve been with you.” (She blinks.) “Today, I was worried about Joseph. So I called my Dad, and your sister. I asked them both to come over and watch him. They got to the flat. It was only then that I left. That child wasn’t alone for one single second.”

Endeavour: “But yesterday?” (He blinks.) 

Joan: “You didn’t call the restaurant last night.”

Endeavour: “But I called them today.”

Joan: “So until today, less than an hour ago, you didn’t know the truth. I was scared. I thought you might hear from other people that something entirely different had happened. You might hear lies, and believe them.”

Endeavour: “You didn’t trust me? You didn’t think I would believe your side of the story?”

(Joan shakes her head.)

Endeavour: “Were you ever going to come back, or just go up to Manchester forever?”

Joan: “I don’t know.” (She brushes the hair out of her eyes.)

Endeavour: “Can you get a refund, at the ticket window?”

Joan: “I guess.”

Endeavour: “Let’s go.” (He nods in the direction of the stairs. Then he puts a hand on her shoulder.) “I believe you.”

(He gets up, and she does too. He grips her in a hug.)

(Endeavour pats her on the back. She cries into his shoulder.)

Endeavour: “I’ll get your bag.” (He picks up the suitcase.)

(They walk down to the ticket window.)

Joan: “Hello, I need a refund. I’m sorry.”

Carla: “Okay. We retain ten percent as a booking fee, just so you know.”

Joan: “All right.” (She hands back her ticket.)

(Carla does the processing and hands back Joan’s money.)

Joan: “Thank you very much.”

Carla: “You’re welcome.”

(Joan and Endeavour walk away.)

(They head down to the parking lot. Endeavour puts Joan’s bag into the trunk.)

Endeavour: “If you don’t mind, I’d like to make a call.”

Joan: “Yes.” (She waits in the car while Endeavour goes to the phone booth.)

(He dials her flat.)

Thursday: “Hello?”

Endeavour: “It’s me. We might stop somewhere on the way home.”

Thursday: “So she’s coming back?”

Endeavour: “Yes. I figured we’d get a bite to eat.”

Thursday: “Okay.”

Endeavour: “Thank you.” (He hangs up.)

(He gets back in the car.)

Endeavour: “Where do you want to go?”

Joan: “Well, maybe Allen’s.”

Endeavour: “I know it well. I used to get take-aways there when I was at school.”

Joan: “Mm-hmm.”

(He drives off, and drives toward the place. He takes several minutes to reach it.)

(He pulls up.)

Endeavour: “What do you want?”

Joan: “Chicken and noodles.”

Endeavour: “Egg roll?”

Joan: “Egg roll.”

Endeavour: “Thanks.” (He walks off.)

(In a number of minutes, he comes back, with two boxes of food.)

Endeavour: “Here you go.”

Joan: “Thank you.”

(He drives a few blocks away, and parks.)

Endeavour: “Let’s eat.”

(They both take out their plastic utensils, and start to eat.)

Joan: “This is pretty good.”

Endeavour: “Thank you.”

(She gets some money out of her purse, and tries to pass it to him. He refuses.)

Endeavour: “No. You don’t have to.”

Joan: “Really?”

Endeavour: “No.” (He half-smiles.)

(She puts her purse away.)

Joan: “So tell me… how does a humble DS such as yourself afford this Jaguar?”

Endeavour: “I’ll tell you a secret.”

Joan: “Oh?”

Endeavour: “It’s used. I got it for cheap, at a department auction.”

Joan: “Oh.” (She smiles.) “Good way to save. Do they ever sell the typewriters?”

Endeavour: “I’ll check and see.”

(They eat some more.)

(Joan sips her soda pop.)

Joan: “Do you think you’ve solved the case?”

Endeavour: “Yes. We got a confession. It’s not official yet, but we’re having the suspect examined by the doctors. If that holds up, he’ll sign the paperwork.”

Joan: “Good.”

Endeavour: “Don’t leave me again.”

(She looks at him.)

Endeavour: “Don’t. I just couldn’t take it anymore.”

Joan (softly): “I won’t.”

Endeavour: “That life that you have in mind. I want it too.”

(She blushes.)

Endeavour: “I’m a drunk.”

Joan: “I’m a coward.”

Endeavour: “There was that time I tried to hit you.”

Joan: “It’ll never happen again.” (She takes his hand.) “I’m here.”

(He puts both of their food boxes on the dashboard of the car.)

Endeavour: “Let me… touch you...”

(He leans over and kisses her. His hand runs up the side of her chest.)

(The kiss lasts for some seconds.)

(There is a knock on the window.)

Endeavour: “What?”

PC: “Excuse me, sir.”

(Endeavour rolls down the window.)

Endeavour: “What?”

PC: “Can I see your ID? And the young lady’s?”

(Endeavour takes out his police ID. The young cop looks at it and blinks.)

Endeavour: “There is no need to see hers.”

PC: “Ah, I was mistaken. Go on your way, sir.”

(Endeavour moves the food boxes to the back seat of the car, and drives off.)

 

Act Three, Scene Four

(They drive up to the flat, and walk in. Endeavour carries the suitcase, and Joan brings the food boxes.)

(Only Joyce is still there. She is on the couch, and holding the baby. The hand-carrier is on the couch, next to both of them.)

Joyce: “Hello!”

Endeavour: “Hi.”

Joyce: “Mr. Thursday went home.”

Joan: “I figured.” (She puts away the food boxes in the fridge, and takes her suitcase back to her room. Then she comes back.)

Joyce: “You know, I’ve been thinking. Little Joey is so much fun to spend time with, I think I will take you up on that offer.”

Joan: “Thank you. That’s very kind of you.”

Endeavour: “We’ll draw up a plan in the coming week.”

Joyce: “Thank you. I’ll get going now.” 

Endeavour: “Goodbye.”

Joyce: “Goodbye.” (She hugs her brother, and walks out.)

Endeavour: “Well, Joey.” (He picks up the boy and cuddles him happily, before putting him in the carrier and taking him into the bathroom.)

Joan: “Let me help.” (She gets out a piece of soap and a washcloth, and gives the baby a bath.)

(Then she takes him out of the water, wipes him with an antiseptic wipe, and puts him in a new diaper. The baby coos and giggles.)

(She carries the baby back to his room. Endeavour goes with her.)

(He picks out a new set of pajamas for the child.)

Endeavour: “This one?”

Joan: “Of course.”

(She wraps him in it, and snaps the buttons.)

Joan: “There you go.”

(Endeavour kisses the little boy. Joan hugs him. Then she puts him down to sleep.)

(They walk out of the room, and shut the door.)

(He follows her into the master bedroom.)

(He puts on an undershirt and sweatpants. She changes into a nightgown.)

(They both get into bed.)

(He raises his arms above his head. She puts a hand on his chest.)

(He smiles. He puts his arms around her and kisses her.)

(Fade out.)

 

Act Three, Scene Five

(The next day. The baby wakes up and starts to cry.)

Endeavour: “I’ll get him.”

Joan: “I’ll come with you.”

(They put on their clothes and walk into the baby’s room. Endeavour picks up the child.)

Endeavour: “Do you need a new nappy?” (He checks.) “No. Good morning, kid.” (He bounces the baby.)

(Then a thought strikes him.)

Endeavour: “Let’s take him out.”

Joan: “Okay.”

(They put down the baby in the crib, and get changed into their own casual clothes.)

(Then they come back. Endeavour picks up the child.)

Endeavour: “Ready to go?” (He smiles at the boy.)

Joan: “I’m ready.”

(They walk out to the car.)

(Endeavour gets underway. He drives to St. Ninian’s. Joan is surprised.)

Joan: “This is interesting.”

Endeavour: “Wanted to see if they could help us out today.”

(They walk into the church. Endeavour sees someone walking across the lobby. It’s a young woman.)

Penelope: “May I help you?”

Endeavour: “Yes, can we talk to the Reverend, please?”

Penelope: “Sure, I’ll see if he’s available. Help yourself to a seat.”

(The family sits on a bench in the lobby. Penelope walks away, to find the priest.)

(Joan reads a booklet. Endeavour plays with the baby.)

(Soon, Penelope comes back. She has a deacon with her.)

Penelope: “I couldn’t find the priest, but I found this man.” (She smiles.)

Erwin: “May I help you?”

Endeavour: “Reverend Deacon. Pleasure to talk to you again.”

Erwin: “Likewise. What do you need today?”

Endeavour: “Are you permitted to perform baptisms? This little fella needs some help.”

Erwin: “Really? Well, the canon law says a layperson can perform any sacrament, in an emergency.”

Endeavour: “Such as what kind?”

Erwin: “If your life were in danger. A lot of crash-landed pilots got baptized that way, in World War II.”

Endeavour: “What’s your role in other cases?”

Erwin: “Well, normally I am permitted to read the Gospel, to distribute Holy Communion after it has been consecrated by the priest, carry the candle so the priest can read, those sorts of things.”

Endeavour: “We’re not married yet. But we plan to be. Can you help us?”

Erwin: “Well, you don't appear to be in danger of dying at the moment. But... we all could go at any time. Yes, I'll help you. Penny?” (He calls out to Penelope. She walks over.) “Keep everyone else out of the altar area.”

Penelope: “I will.” (She stands in the front of the sanctuary.)

(Erwin walks over to the baptismal font. He checks to make sure the holy water is clean. It is. He turns to the parents.)

Erwin: “Are you both baptized?”

Joan: “Yes.”

Endeavour: “Yes.”

Erwin: “Very good. The child, please.”

(Endeavour hands the baby over to Erwin.)

Erwin: “In the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, Amen.” (The parents make the sign of the Cross.)

(A few minutes pass by. Erwin recites the words of the ceremony. Then he pauses.)

Erwin: “What is to be the child’s name?”

Endeavour: “Joseph Matthew Morse.”

(Erwin places him into the font, up to his neck. Erwin pours water over the child’s head, three times.)

Erwin: “The servant of God, Joseph Matthew Morse, is baptized in the name of the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Amen.” 

(He lifts the child out of the water, and hands him to his mother.)

Erwin: “Good luck, little man.”

Endeavour: “Thank you.”

Erwin: “Ah, do you need a marriage license?”

Endeavour (blinking): “Can we get one here?”

Erwin: “Yes, you have to take it to the government office and pay your fee. Then you can have the wedding.”

Endeavour: “Okay.”

Erwin: “Penelope, would you please?”

Penelope: “Yes, sir.”

(She walks to the office and comes back with the piece of paper.)

Erwin: “Let’s sit down.”

(Everyone sits in the pews. Endeavour takes out a pen.)

(He signs his name, and hands the pen to Joan. She signs as well. Erwin and Penelope sign as the two witnesses.)

Joan: “Does my father need to be present?”

Erwin: “No. But it’ll be nice if you invite him to the wedding.”

Joan: “I plan to.” (She smiles.)

Endeavour: “Thank you, Deacon, you’ve been a great help.”

Erwin: “Happy to do it. Be on your way.”

(Joan takes the marriage license. Endeavour carries Joey out to the car.)

Joan: “Do you have to work today?”

Endeavour: “No. Let’s go out.”

(They drive for a while. Then he pulls over.)

Endeavour: “Why don’t I get us some snow cones?”

Joan: “Good.”

(They go into the store. Joan takes the baby and sits at a table.)

(Endeavour goes up to the counter.)

Endeavour: “Hello, give me a grape snow cone and a cherry one.”

Clerk: “Okay.” (He goes to the machine and prepares the cones. He hands them to Endeavour, who pays.)

Endeavour: “Thank you.” (He goes to the table.)

Joan: “Let me get the grape.” (He hands it to her. She starts to eat. Then she takes the spoon, and feeds Joseph a tiny bit. He squeals.)

Endeavour: “You like that, huh?” (He smiles at his son.) 

(They spend a few minutes eating. When they are done, Endeavour gets up and throws away the trash.)

Endeavour: “Let’s go.”

(Joan carries the baby. They walk to the car.)

(Endeavour drives, until he comes to a park with a riverfront view. He stops. They get out, and sit at a table.) 

(Endeavour holds the baby.)

Joan: “It’s beautiful today.”

Endeavour: “Yes. Not too humid.”

Joan: “I wonder what he’s going to be. He’s going to finish school in what, 1987?”

Endeavour: “Yes. Wonder what that’s going to be like.”

Joan: “Will he go here for uni?”

Endeavour: “He can go wherever he wants.”

Joan: “Wonder what it’ll be like when he has his first date.”

Endeavour: “At least it won’t be for a while.”

Joan: “His first driving lesson.”

Endeavour: “Oh, God.” (He laughs and kisses the baby.)

(Fade out on this happy scene.)

 

Act Four, Scene One

(A week later. At the station. Endeavour walks in.)

(Jim is there.)

Jim: “Hey, mate.”

Endeavour: “Hello.”

Jim: “I guess neither of us can get any time off.”

Endeavour: “Looks that way.”

Jim: “How’s your son?”

Endeavour: “Doing fine. Had him christened.”

Jim: “Congratulations.”

Endeavour: “And got a marriage license. Have to bring it to the government office and pay the fee, but it’s all properly signed and everything.”

Jim: “Heh! Look at you, all spiffy and whatnot. How’s Joan?”

Endeavour: “Nervous. But she’ll make it.”

Jim: “Is she working at the library again?”

Endeavour: “She’s going back in a few weeks.”

(The phone rings on Endeavour’s desk. Jim picks it up.)

Jim: “Strange here?” (Endeavour gives him a sour look.) “You’re kidding. How?” (Pause) “Yes. Goodbye.” (He hangs up.) “McLean broke out of jail. The doctors were just coming in to meet with him, and he took advantage of the guards being distracted. He ran out of the room.”

Endeavour: “No.”

Jim: “They say he managed to break the cuffs, and he may have stolen some things out of the storage room. Like a rifle.”

Endeavour: “No!”

Jim: “I’m afraid so. We’re to be on the lookout for him at all times.”

Endeavour: “Yes. Let’s go.”

(Jim takes a pistol out of his pocket and loads it.)

Endeavour: “Ah, do you really need that?”

Jim: “I do. You should check one out of the depot.”

Endeavour: “But I don’t want to.”

Jim: “You’re trained, aren’t you? You passed your test?”

Endeavour: “Yes, but-”

Jim: “Then go get one. I’ll wait here.”

(Endeavour walks down to the weapons depot and checks out a pistol, ammunition, and a holster. He puts them on and returns to Jim.)

Jim: “Good. We’re taking my car.”

Endeavour: “Where are we supposed to go?”

Jim: “First, to a meeting outside. Then, we’ll be taking my car, on route to wherever we’re instructed.”

(He walks outside. Endeavour follows.)

(Supt. Bright is outdoors. He addresses the crowd.)

Bright: “Everyone. We will split up into five teams. Each will go to a different sector of the city. You are to search diligently, then check in with headquarters. This man is to be considered armed and extremely dangerous. Do not fire at him if he does not fire at you first. Also, be careful of hostages, which he may plan to take.”

Everyone: “Yes, sir.”

Bright: “It is important that you keep the peace and do not induce panic in passersby.”

Everyone: “Yes, sir.”

Bright: “All right, break into groups.”

(Jim and Endeavour wait until Bright comes up to them.)

Jim: “Sir.”

Bright: “You will cover the eastern part of town. Check in several times an hour, is that clear?”

Jim: “Yes, sir.”

Bright: “Are you both armed?”

Jim: “Yes, sir.”

Bright: “All right. Head out.”

Jim: “Yes, sir.”

(They get in Jim’s car. He starts off.)

Jim: “Now, I don’t want you panicking the first time you draw, understand?”

Endeavour: “I don’t usually carry.”

Jim: “Don’t shoot unless he fires first, remember.”

Endeavour: “Got it.”

(Jim looks out the window. Then he radios headquarters.)

Jim: “Car B-19, can you hear me?”

PC: “Yes. Suspect is reported to have stolen a light blue van.”

Jim: “Any license plate information?”

PC: “No. Can you give your location?”

Jim: “Stennet Street.”

PC: “Affirmative. Check in every few minutes.”

Jim: “I hear you.”

Endeavour: “What are we looking for?”

Jim: “The man himself.”

Endeavour: “But he could be anywhere.”

Jim: “They want us all to cover the streets. It saves time.”

Endeavour: “Yeah.”

(They cruise some more. Then Jim spots what he thinks is the vehicle.)

Jim: “It’s over there.” (He points. Then he turns the wheel of the car.)

(He picks up the radio.)

Jim: “Possible sighting of the suspect. In pursuit.”

PC: “Be careful.”

Jim: “Aren’t we supposed to be wearing those new bulletproof vests you guys tried?”

Endeavour: “Now would be a good day, yes.”

Jim: “But we don’t have them?”

Endeavour: “No.”

Jim: “Oh, shit.”

(They drive out of town and wind up on a back road.)

Endeavour: “Are you sure you saw him?”

Jim: “Yes. There he is again.”

(He points out the van, up ahead. It fishtails and gets back on the road.)

Endeavour: “Oh, great.”

(The van runs off the road, into a field.)

(Jim picks up the radio fob.)

Jim: “Subject heading off-road. Will follow him.”

Endeavour: “Oh, God.”

(Jim steers the car off the road. He follows the track of the van.)

(Then McLean hops out of the van. He runs into the field.)

(Jim gets out and runs after him. Endeavour follows.)

Jim: “McLean! You can’t get away!”

(Stephen turns around, and looks at them. He has a rifle with him.)

Stephen: “I did it for Jesus.”

(He turns and runs again.)

(The two chase after him.)

(A couple hundred meters later, he turns around again.)

Stephen: “Jesus has a mission for me to carry out upon this Earth.”

Jim: “You’re outnumbered, two to one.” (He whispers to Endeavour:) “Draw.”

(Endeavour pulls his gun.)

(They both aim at Stephen. In turn, McLean raises his rifle.)

Stephen: “Look around you, don’t you see?”

Jim: “See what?”

Stephen: “The trees, the grass, the birds?”

Endeavour: “Yes. What do you want us to see?”

Stephen: “Don’t you take any pleasure from them?”

Jim: “What does that have to do with why you want to kill people?”

Stephen: “I didn’t kill any person who didn’t deserve it.”

Endeavour: “You’re not in your right mind. You don’t know what you’re doing.”

Jim (an intense whisper): “Don’t say shit like that, man.”

Stephen: “The Bible says, ‘Hurt not the Earth, nor the sea, nor the trees, until I send for you.’ I believe that. Jesus told me I have to enforce it.”

Endeavour: “When was the last time you heard God’s voice?”

Stephen: “Today. I hear it almost every day.”

Endeavour: “What did God tell you to do? I’m sure he doesn’t want you to kill innocent people.”

Stephen: “No one is innocent.”

Jim: “Are you sure?”

Stephen: “The people I killed were having sex before marriage. It should be illegal.”

Endeavour: “But it isn’t.”

Stephen: “I do not acknowledge any government but that of God.”

Jim: “Why does he want you to kill us?” (He takes a step forward.)

Stephen: “Ahhh-”

(Stephen opens fire. Jim screams and drops to the ground.)

Endeavour: “No, no!” (He runs forward, until his gun is up against the side of Stephen’s head. 

(Stephen turns, so that the end of his rifle is right up against Endeavour’s neck.)

(The two men circle around one another.)

Endeavour: “Give it up, Stephen. Kill me, and you’ll get life in jail.”

Stephen: “I do not acknowledge the passing of time.”

Endeavour: “Tell me-” (A thought occurs to him.) “Tell me what happened to your friend, Barry Shell.”

Stephen: “He needed to die. I had to help him.”

Endeavour: “You killed him, too?”

Stephen: “Yes, I did. He needed my help.”

Endeavour: “Why did he need help?”

Stephen: “He sold too much cocaine. He made me sick. I took the rest from him.”

Endeavour: “Did that make you feel any better?”

Stephen: “I still can’t sleep.”

Endeavour: “All right. If you give up, and go back to jail, we’ll be able to get you some help. I have to help that man over there.” (He nods toward Jim.)

Stephen: “Yes?”

Endeavour: “Yes.”

Stephen: “But I can’t do that. You might make me go to prison. Prison is not the place for the Lord’s work.”

(He moves the end of his rifle slightly up against Endeavour’s chin.)

Endeavour: “Look.”

Stephen: “At what?”

Endeavour: “Over there.” (He nudges his chin in the direction of Jim’s body.)

Stephen: “What-”

(Endeavour pulls the trigger. Stephen’s body falls to the ground.)

(Immediately, Endeavour runs over to help Jim. He drops to his knees and pulls the walkie-talkie from Jim’s jacket. He yells into it.)

Endeavour: “We need an ambulance. Officer down.”

 

Act Four, Scene Two

(The ambulances arrive. The dispatcher has sent two.)

(One attends to Stephen’s dead body. The other takes care of Jim.)

(An emergency worker looks to Endeavour.)

EMT: “Are you all right, sir? You killed someone. You need treatment for shock.”

Endeavour: “I have to go home and see my son. Somebody has to drive back with the car.”

EMT: “We’ll have one of our staff drive you back. Just give him the keys.”

Endeavour: “Ah… yes… okay. The keys are in Jim’s pocket.”

(The EMT runs to the first ambulance, to get the keys. In a minute, he comes back.)

EMT: “One of our workers will drive you.”

Endeavour: “Yes.”

(The worker comes over, and gets in the car. Endeavour gets in the other side.)

Endeavour: “Hah – hah-” 

(He starts to hyperventilate. The EMT hands him a small paper bag. Endeavour breathes into it.)

(The worker starts the car.)

 

Act Four, Scene Three

(The ambulances arrive at the hospital. Jim’s police car, driven by the emergency worker, parks as well.)

(The worker and Endeavour get out. They walk into the emergency room. Endeavour approaches the front desk.)

Endeavour: “Ah, I believe I’m in shock. I need to be seen.”

Nurse: “Certainly.”

(He shows her his police ID.)

Endeavour: “And I need to call a couple of people.”

Nurse: “Very well. Please sit down in the waiting area.”

Endeavour: “Okay.”

(He sits down to wait.)

(In minutes, the nurse calls a doctor to the front room.)

(An orderly comes to take Endeavour to the doctor’s office. He has a wheelchair with him.)

Orderly: “Sir, would you mind getting in this chair, please?”

Endeavour (breathing heavily): “All right.”

(He sits down in the chair and closes his eyes. The orderly pushes him down the hall.)

 

Act Four, Scene Four

(At night. Thursday is visiting Joan at her flat. Joan is playing with the baby.)

(The phone rings.)

Thursday: “I’ll get it.” (He picks up the receiver.) “Hello?” (Pause) “Good Lord!” (Pause) “Yes, yes, I can do that. Okay. Thank you.” (He hangs up.) “You’ll never believe this.”

Joan: “What?” 

Thursday: “DC Strange has been shot. Morse had to shoot and kill the suspect. Morse is at the hospital, and so is Strange.”

Joan (blanching): “Good Lord!”

Thursday: “We have to go to the hospital.”

Joan: “Yes.” (She puts the baby in the carrier and walks with Thursday out to the car.)

(Cut to: They drive out to the hospital, and park in the lot. They walk inside.)

Thursday: “I’m DCI Thursday. I’m here to see patients DC Strange and DS Morse. Can you tell me what condition they’re in?”

Nurse: “I’ll check. Ah, DC Strange is being prepped for surgery, and DS Morse was taken to the psychiatric ward. Neither one of them will be available for visits for a few hours, at least. I’m sorry.”

Thursday: “I see. Well, thank you for checking. Can we stop at the cafeteria and get something to eat?”

Nurse: “Might as well. Let me give you these stickers.” (She hands them stickers which say ‘Visitor.’ They put them on their shirts.)

Thursday: “Thank you.”

Nurse: “Bye now.”

(The family walk down to the dining area. Thursday orders fish and chips. Joan gets beef, rice, and broccoli. They sit and start to eat.)

Joan: “Good Lord. All that bad news, all at once. I hope they both pull through it okay.”

Thursday: “Yes. Everyone at the station’s going to be petrified.”

Joan: “I have to stop at the gift shop before we leave. Get them both ‘get well’ cards.”

Thursday: “All right.” (He points at the baby.) “Good to see Joseph hardly knows what’s going on.”

Joan: “Yes. All the books say he’ll be about a year old before he tries to speak.”

Thursday: “They’re fun at this age.” (He smiles.)

(Cut to: They finish eating. Thursday throws out the trash.)

Joan: “I bet the people at the station must be tired of hearing about ‘surprises’ like this.”

Thursday: “It’s a risk of the profession.”

Joan: “Yes.” (She picks up the baby carrier.) 

(They go to the gift shop. Joan buys two greeting cards.)

Joan: “I’ll take these, please.”

Clerk: “Yes.” (Joan pays.)

(She walks out with the cards in a little bag.)

(She and her father walk to the car. Joan carries the child.)

(They get going toward the house.)

Joan: “Did you find out when Morse is getting out?”

Thursday: “They’re only keeping him overnight. Just for observation. DC Strange will have to be in a little longer. After they start his surgery, there will be that, plus the recovery. Could be a few days.”

Joan: “Good grief.”

(Her father puts on a jazz station. They ride home.)

(Cut to: They get out and go in the flat.)

(Joan quickly puts the baby to bed. Then she goes to sit with her father, in the living room.)

Thursday: “I sampled a bit of your liquor. Hope you don’t mind.”

Joan: “No.” (She smiles.) “I can’t wait until we can pick up Morse.”

Thursday: “Yes. He may come home with new medicines, so watch him closely.”

Joan: “I will.”

Thursday: “They will almost certainly have him sit through a conduct hearing, when he gets out.”

Joan: “Yes, it figures.”

Thursday: “This’ll be good for a two-week leave. But he’ll need to spend the time resting.”

Joan: “I’ll see that he does.”

Thursday: “Try to keep the baby from getting too cranky. It’ll help Morse’s temper.”

Joan: “Yes, I can do that.”

(Thursday sips his drink.)

Joan: “Is it supposed to rain tomorrow?”

Thursday: “I think so. Thunderstorms in the evening.”

Joan: “Oh, well.” (Pause) “He and I were planning on going to a concert the last week of the month. I hope we still get to go.”

Thursday: “Who is it?”

Joan: “Oh, nobody you’d like. It’s in London.”

Thursday: “Maybe take along someone else. Morse probably won’t be in well enough shape to come with you.”

Joan: “Well, we’ll see, when he gets out.”

Thursday: “Okay.”

(He drinks for a few more minutes, then gets up.)

Thursday: “I’ll be running along now, honey. I need to be at work tomorrow.”

Joan: “Sure, Dad.”

Thursday: “You take good care of that mite of yours.”

Joan: “I will.” (She gives her father a hug and a kiss.) “Say, what if I get the call about Morse? Do you want me to take the bus to pick him up?”

Thursday: “Take a taxi. You don’t have a car yet.” (He hands her a few pound notes.) “There, now. See you later.”

Joan: “Bye, Dad.”

(Thursday walks out.)

(Joan uses the washroom, then checks on her son. He seems to be all right. Then she takes a shower, and puts on a nightgown.)

(She lifts the covers and gets into bed. She sighs, and hugs the pillow of the absent Morse.)

 

Act Four, Scene Five

(The next day. She wakes, and goes to check on her son. She changes his diaper. Then she nurses him for a while.)

(Afterward, she calls the hospital.)

Joan: “Hello? I’d like to know if a patient is ready to go home. His name is Endeavour Morse.”

Nurse: “Well, let’s see. It seems they’re going to keep him at least another two hours. I can give you a call when he’s ready to get out.”

Joan: “Okay. That would help. My number’s 555-0284.” 

Nurse: “Very good. Thanks.”

Joan: “Thank you.” (She hangs up the phone.)

(She sits down on the couch and reads a book.)

(Cut to: Two hours later. The phone rings.) 

Joan: “Hello?” 

Nurse: “Hello, this is the nurse. Your patient is ready to go.”

Joan: “Thank you. I’ll be there.” (She hangs up. Next, she calls for a taxi.) “Hello, Quick Cab Service?”

Clerk: “Yes?”

Joan: “I need a ride from 74 Keller Street to St. Daniel’s Hospital.”

Clerk: “Yes. That’ll be in a few minutes, okay?”

Joan: “Okay.” (She picks up the baby and puts him in the hand-carrier. She takes her purse and a light jacket, and goes to wait outside.)

(The cab arrives. She gets in.)

(Cut to: They pull up at the hospital.)

Joan: “I’ll need you to wait here a few minutes. I should be out soon.”

Driver: “Yes, please.”

(She walks into the hospital. The baby coos and looks around.)

(Endeavour sits, looking groggy, in the waiting room. She runs over to him. He stands up.)

Joan: “You look so tired. You can rest when we get home.”

(She hugs him. He blinks.)

Endeavour (quietly): “Yeah, sure.” (He walks forward very slowly.)

(They walk to the front desk. He signs out.)

Nurse: “Good luck.”

Endeavour: “Thank you.”

(They walk to the taxi. The family squishes into the back seat.)

(Within a few seconds of the driver’s departure from the hospital, Endeavour is asleep.)

(They arrive at Joan’s flat. She pays the driver and lets him have a generous tip.)

Joan: “Thank you very much.”

Driver: “You’re welcome, miss.”

(She helps Endeavour out of the back seat, and picks up the baby carrier. They walk to the front door. She opens it.)

(She walks in, with Endeavour and the baby. She sets the baby down on the couch.)

(Endeavour walks to a chair. He stretches out his legs.)

Joan: “Let me make you some tea. You must be so tired.”

Endeavour: “Yes.”

(He tilts his head, and closes his eyes.)

(Joan soon comes back with the tea, and puts it on the table next to him. He rubs the bridge of his nose, and takes a drink.)

Endeavour: “I killed somebody. Shot him. Right in the head.”

Joan: “Try not to think about it, just for now.”

(He puts a hand on his forehead.)

Endeavour: “How’s Junior?”

Joan: “He’s fine.” (She picks up the baby and brings it over to him.) 

Endeavour: “Hi.” (He smiles.)

(The baby smiles.)

Joan: “Now, you don’t bother your Dad. Come with me.” (She carries the baby into his own room, and puts him in the crib. Then she walks back out.)

(She looks down, and then up at Endeavour again.)

Joan: “I didn’t want to bother you about this, especially on a day like today. But what are we going to do about the move?”

Endeavour: “I suspect I’ll have to talk to the building inspector in person. Maybe on Monday.”

Joan: “All right. Then I can settle down a bit. Wish I weren’t so nervous. I’m pantophobic. Scared of everything.”

Endeavour: “Welcome to the world.” (He again rubs the bridge of his nose, and half-smiles.)

(He drinks the last of his tea, then stands up. Joan steps forward, and puts an arm under his.)

Endeavour: “I feel so weak.”

Joan: “Don’t worry. My father said you are entitled to two weeks’ leave. You can sleep as long as you need to.”

(They walk slowly into the master bedroom.)

Endeavour: “Don’t be afraid to come in here when you need to.”

Joan: “Did they ever give you new medicine?”

Endeavour: “Yes, quite a bit. I took my first dose before I left the hospital. That’s why I’m so groggy.”

Joan: “Well, you just rest.” 

(He takes off his pants, shoes, socks, and shirt. This leaves his boxers and undershirt. He slides under the covers.)

Endeavour: “Hope the medicine doesn’t keep me from…” (He smiles devilishly. Joan blushes. Endeavour yawns. Suddenly he opens one eye.) “I love you. Don’t you ever forget that.” (He turns toward the wall, and swiftly falls asleep.)

(Joan walks out into the living room, to read without waking him.)

(Cut to: A few hours later, she slips back into the room. She changes into a pair of pajamas, and slides carefully under the sheets next to him.)

(Without opening his eyes, he throws an arm over her midsection. They both sleep.)

 

Act Five, Scene One

(The next day. Noon. Joan brings in the mail. Endeavour is sitting on the couch, with the baby next to him.)

(She takes out a letter and a card, which are both addressed to Morse. She hands them to him. There is also a card addressed to her.)

Joan: “Got something.”

Endeavour: “Good.” (He opens the letter. It is in a large manila envelope.)

(He takes out several photographs of soldiers marching through the woods. They are from Claudine.)

(He winces, and puts them back in the envelope. He gets up and goes to the kitchen.)

(Endeavour gets out a pack of matches, and lights one. He watches until the photographs are half-consumed, then runs them briefly under the water. He tosses the remains in the trash.)

Endeavour: “Now, then.” (He sits back down on the couch, and opens the card.)

(Joan opens hers as well.)

Joan: “It’s a wedding invitation from Robert and Valerie.” (She smiles.)

Endeavour: “Good luck to those kids. Keep mine with yours.” (He passes her his invitation.)

(The phone rings. Joan answers.)

Joan: “Hello?”

Thursday: “Yes, hello. How are you?”

Joan: “It’s not myself I’m worried about.”

Thursday: “About that. I told the Superintendent today that Morse will be out two weeks. It’s been approved.”

Joan: “Thank goodness. Did you want to speak to him?”

Thursday: “Yes. Please put him on.”

Joan: “Here you go.” (She passes the phone to Endeavour.)

Endeavour: “Hello?”

Thursday: “Don’t even worry about coming in. You’ve got the two weeks approved.”

Endeavour: “Thank you.”

Thursday: “Of course, I hope this never happens to you again. I’m talking to some people. You may have to come in for the conduct hearing.”

Endeavour: “I was wondering about that.”

Thursday: “I’ll call you if it happens.”

Endeavour: “Thank you.”

Thursday: “Given that I was your instructor, and you were Robert’s, I can’t help but think that this is all my fault.”

Endeavour: “Nonsense, sir. I have a hard enough time not thinking about-” (He puts a hand on his head.)

Thursday: “Right. You take your medicine, and lie down. And hug my grandson.”

Endeavour: “Yes. Thank you.”

Thursday: “Bye now.” (He hangs up.)

(Endeavour picks up his son. He rocks the little boy back and forth, and kisses him on the head.)

Joan: “His eyes are so bright.”

Endeavour: “Yeah.”

Joan: “Ah, did you take your medicine today?”

Endeavour: “Yes. I can’t stop thinking about-”

Joan: “I know.” (She bows her head.) “Did you want to take a walk with the stroller?”

Endeavour: “No. I’m still too tired.” (He gets up and walks into the master bedroom. She puts the baby in his room, then follows.)

(He sits down on the edge of the bed. He looks down.)

Endeavour: “First man I’ve ever killed.”

Joan: “Hopefully, the last. But he was a murderer. He confessed.”

(He frowns. She crosses to sit next to him.)

Joan: “Did you want me to call the doctor?”

Endeavour: “I’ll take care of that. Write it on the calendar for tomorrow.”

Joan: “I will. It might be better if you just take today off and rest.”

Endeavour: “Uh-huh.” (He clears his throat.) “There’s something I’ve never told you before.”

Joan: “Oh?”

Endeavour: “When your father – had a fight with Ray – I jumped in and pulled him off. Not because I liked him. Trust me, I didn’t. But I just didn’t want to see somebody get killed.”

Joan: “Well, he’s in jail right now.”

Endeavour: “Yes.”

(She rubs his arm.)

Endeavour: “Even if Stephen deserved it-”

Joan: “In terms of poetic justice, perhaps.”

Endeavour: “Still.”

Joan: “I have no doubt that everything you did, you had to do.”

Endeavour: “Thank you.”

(She brushes the hair out of his eyes.)

Endeavour: “Stay here with me.”

(Joan nods.)

(He kisses her. They move back onto the bed.)

(Cut to: Some time later. They lie naked under the sheets. He is asleep. She brushes the hair on top of his head.)

 

Act Five, Scene Two

(The next day. The phone rings. Endeavour reaches out of bed and answers.)

Endeavour: “Hello?”

Thursday: “Hello. They want you to come in for the conduct hearing today.”

Endeavour: “Now?”

Thursday: “Within the hour. Yes.”

Endeavour: “All right, I’ll come.”

(He hangs up the phone. He shakes Joan by the arm.)

Endeavour: “I’ve got to go to the hearing.”

Joan: “What?”

Endeavour: “The conduct hearing.”

Joan: “Oh, God, let me come with you.”

Endeavour: “Somebody’s got to watch Joseph.”

Joan: “We can’t come with you?”

Endeavour: “I have to leave.”

(He rushes to shower and get dressed.)

(Joan pulls on a bathrobe and walks to the baby’s room.)

(Endeavour rushes out the door and gets into the car. He speeds off.)

(Cut to: He arrives at the station. At the front desk, Thursday is waiting for him.)

Thursday: “Good morning. Did you take your medication?”

Endeavour: “Ah, I forgot.”

Thursday: “Not good. We’ll just have to hope you can keep your cool.”

Endeavour: “Okay.”

(The two of them stand there, until Supt. Bright walks up.)

Bright: “Good morning. Are you prepared?”

Endeavour: “I think so.”

Bright: “Well then. Follow me.”

(He walks down the hall, into a conference room. They take seats around the table.)

Norman: “This meeting will come to order. Is the interviewee present?”

Oliver: “Yes.”

Norman: “Are the members of the board present?”

Oliver: “Yes.”

Norman: “Let’s discuss the situation. DS Morse, you were driving, and following the van driven by the suspect, Stephen McLean. DC Jim Strange was with you.”

Endeavour: “Yes.”

Norman: “Can you fill us in on what happened next?”

Endeavour: “The suspect pulled off the road. He got out of his van. I pulled off the road, likewise.”

Oliver: “Did you have your gun?”

Endeavour: “Yes. So did DC Strange.”

Norman: “Did the suspect have a gun?”

Endeavour: “Yes, a rifle.”

Norman: “And what happened then?”

Endeavour: “The suspect got into an argument with us. He said he was sent by God.”

Oliver: “And then what?”

Endeavour: “He said he didn’t kill anyone who didn’t deserve it. He said the people he killed were having sex before marriage, and that it should be illegal.”

Norman: “And what did you do?”

Endeavour: “I stood there with my gun. Then he shot DC Strange.”

Norman: “So then what happened?”

Endeavour: “I stepped right up to him and put my gun against his head. He had the end of his rifle right on my neck.”

Oliver: “Oh?”

Endeavour: “He said prison was not the place to do God’s work. I said, ‘Look over there.’ And I shot him.”

Oliver: “And he died?”

Endeavour: “Yes. Instantly.”

Norman: “Did you try to push him?”

Endeavour: “The tip of the rifle was against my neck. Right against it.”

Norman: “Did you try anything else?”

Endeavour (face getting red): “Look, he shot DC Strange. Let alone he was going to shoot me.”

Oliver: “How do you know?”

Endeavour: “But – but-” (He is fuming now.)

Norman: “Did he say that he was?”

Endeavour (yelling): “There was a gun against my neck!”

Oliver: “Take it easy, Detective Sergeant. We will take a break and review the evidence.”

(The two, along with the other members of the board, leave the room and head down the hall. Endeavour sits and waits.)

(Shot of the clock advancing forty minutes.)

(The officers come back in the room.)

Norman: “Now, then.” (He clears his throat.) “DS Morse, our finding is the following. The physical evidence supports you. However, you were already supposed to be regularly attending meetings with a psychiatrist before this incident. You did not do that.”

(Endeavour’s face is sweaty.)

Endeavour: “I did go, once.”

Norman: “Once is not enough.”

(Endeavour frowns.)

Norman: “We will not press criminal charges against you, but you will be confined to a hospital, for your own good. This time will last nine days.”

Endeavour (shocked): “Nine days? Excuse me?”

Norman: “At the end of this time, you will be able to resume your duties. Thank you.”

Endeavour: “But you can’t-”

Norman: “Thank you. You are dismissed.”

(Endeavour gets up. Thursday steps forward, and puts a hand on his arm.)

Thursday: “Now, then, son. It’s all for the best.”

Endeavour: “But I’ve got to see my son!”

Thursday: “Joan is taking care of him. He’s very safe.”

Endeavour: “It’s nine days. Great. I’ll look like a monster on my record.”

Thursday: “If they let you come back to the same station, it won’t mean much at all. Just view it as time to take care of yourself.”

(Endeavour’s shoulders slump.)

Endeavour: “Joan is going to leave me.”

Thursday: “She will not.”

Endeavour: “I’m incompetent now.”

Thursday: “Not in anybody’s judgment. Come on.”

Endeavour: “This is what I was afraid of. Being a worse father than my own.”

Thursday: “You’re going to do fine. You have all your life ahead of you.” (He squeezes Endeavour’s shoulder.)

(Fade out on this scene.)

 

Act Five, Scene Three

(Ten days later. Early morning. Joan and Joyce are taking a walk, with baby Joseph in the stroller.)

Joyce: “I’m so glad you called me. I was so shocked to hear the news. It should be illegal, what they did to him. I know thieves who don’t get that much time.”

Joan: “Yes. Dad was so frustrated when he told me.” (She puts a cherry candy in her mouth.) “I can’t imagine the things they must be making him go through.”

Joyce: “Yes, for goodness’ sake.”

(A black car pulls up. Thursday and Endeavour get out.)

(Endeavour smiles slightly at the women and child. Joan notices that he has not been shaving. His beard has grown back.)

Joan: “Oh!” (She runs over and hugs him.)

(He kisses her.)

Joan: “How have you been?”

Endeavour: “I slept most of the time.”

Joyce: “Welcome back.”

(Endeavour hugs her.)

Thursday: “Let’s go in.”

(Everyone walks into the flat.)

Joan: “So, how did it go?”

Endeavour: “It was boring, mostly.”

Joan: “Did they give you any tests?”

Endeavour: “Some.”

Thursday: “Why don’t I save you some trouble, and get you some food?”

Joan: “Yes, Dad. Thank you.”

Thursday: “I’ll be right back.”

Joan: “See you.”

(Her father leaves.)

(Endeavour sits down on the couch. Joan sits next to him. Joyce holds the baby.)

Joyce: “My, he’s happy to see you.”

Endeavour: “Give him here.”

(She passes the baby over.)

Endeavour: “Did he sleep all right?”

Joan: “Yes. Very well.”

Endeavour: “Did he eat?”

Joan: “Yes, plenty.”

Endeavour (to Joseph): “Hi, fella.”

(Joan pats him on the shoulder.)

(Cut to: Thursday comes back with boxes of food from a fish and chips place.)

Thursday: “Hello! Food’s here.” 

Joyce: “Thank you so much.”

Thursday: “No problem.”

(Everyone sits at the table. Joan puts the baby in a high chair, and gets a bottle of strained carrots for him.)

(They begin to eat and drink.)

Endeavour (to Thursday): “How’s the station looked without me, sir?”

Thursday: “DC Strange came back. He worked a full day, then went home.”

Endeavour: “That’s interesting.”

Thursday: “He’ll be back in on Monday. You get two weeks off.”

Endeavour: “Yes. I’m surprised Strange didn’t try to take more time, as well.”

Thursday: “I hope this doesn’t crimp his plans to work in the future. I think he’s headed for great things.”

Endeavour: “I hope so too.”

(They eat and drink some more.)

Joyce: “Today, I called one of the landlords you told me about, Mr. Thursday.”

Thursday: “Good.”

Joyce: “He said he would be able to accept my application, once the check clears.”

Thursday: “That’s wonderful.”

Joyce: “And he said he would file a complaint against Ensifer Leachman, the building inspector.”

Endeavour: “Really?” (He smiles.)

Joyce: “Yes. He said Mr. Leachman’s decision was made out of personal prejudice, and not out of his duty to protect the public. He said the code issue against unmarried people hadn’t been enforced in years, and would likely be abolished by the next session of Parliament.”

Joan: “Oh, thank God.”

Joyce: “Yes, so you don’t have to move.”

Endeavour: “Well, we do have a license, now.”

Joyce: “My God, really?” (She laughs.)

Endeavour: “I’ll go get it.” (He runs back to the bedroom, and returns with the piece of paper.)

Thursday: “Congratulations, young man. Many years.”

Endeavour: “Thank you.”

Joyce: “Let me take a picture.” (She gets a camera out of her purse.)

(The couple sit together with the paper and smile.)

(After dinner, everyone watches TV. It’s a game show. Joyce plays with the child.)

Joan (to Endeavour): “Are we still going to that show?”

Endeavour: “I’d like to.” (He smiles.)

Joyce: “What’s the capital of Chile?”

Thursday: “Santiago.”

Joyce (calling to the TV): “See, Santiago!”

Contestant: “San Marco?”

Joyce: “Oh! Rats. She’s not going to get the free appliances.”

Thursday: “Well, she does get a gift certificate.”

Joyce: “Yeah. Well, I’d better get going. Soon, I’ll have a new place, much closer to here.”

Endeavour: “Thank you, Joyce.” (He gets up and kisses her goodbye.)

Joyce: “Bye.” (She waves goodbye, and leaves.)

(Thursday stands up.)

Thursday: “I’d better be going, too. Don’t want to be late tomorrow.” (He grips Endeavour’s shoulder.) “You take care of yourself.”

Endeavour: “Thank you.” (Thursday leaves.)

Joan (to Joseph): “And you, to bed, little sailor.” (She nuzzles his nose, and walks into his room. She washes and changes him, and puts him in the crib. Then she walks out.)

(By the time she walks back to the master bedroom, Endeavour is already in his pajamas. He is sitting up on the edge of the bed.)

(Joan grabs a nightshirt and walks off to change in the washroom. She comes back, and shuts off the lights. Only a small nightlight is left in the corner of the room. She sits next to Endeavour.)

Joan: “How was your stay?”

Endeavour: “Hmm.”

Joan: “Do you feel better?”

Endeavour: “Yes and no.”

Joan: “You can tell me if you want to.”

Endeavour: “Hmm.”

Joan: “You can’t go on concealing things like this. You have to tell me, sometime.” (She brushes the hair over his eyes.) “Do you not trust me anymore?” 

Endeavour: “I trust you.”

Joan: “What happened in there?”

Endeavour: “...’M tired.”

Joan: “Will you tell me * someday *?”

(Endeavour shrugs.)

Joan: “I’m worried. Did anybody hurt you? Did they make you do anything you didn’t want to do?”

Endeavour: “No.” 

(He reaches out a finger and puts it under her chin. He pulls her to him. They kiss.)

(Then he breaks it off, and looks in her eyes. It lasts quite a long time.)

(He holds her face close to his, and almost kisses her again.)

(Then he removes his shirt, and kneels in front of her.)

Endeavour: “Are you, ah, still on protection?”

Joan: “...Yes.”

(He nods. Then he kisses her on the belly.)

(He lifts the nightgown and kisses the front of her underwear.)

(Joan shudders.)

(He kisses the inside of her thigh.)

(She runs her hands through his hair.)

(Time passes…)

(He is with her three times this night.)

(Afterward: He lies with one arm flung sideways, the other folded across his chest. She has one arm over his midsection, the other above his head. They both sleep.)

 

Act Five, Scene Four

(Sunday afternoon. Thursday is at Joan’s flat, watching Joseph.)

(Endeavour and Joan take a walk in town.)

(Joan stops at a candy shop and gets a bag of fruit chews. She shares them with Endeavour.)

Endeavour: “Thank you.”

Joan: “Oh, look!”

(She points to the window of a shop. The sign above it says, ‘Animal Shelter.’)

Joan: “I always wanted one.”

Endeavour: “Oh, really? Are we allowed to, under the lease?”

Joan: “Up to two pets at a time. I have to pay a small fee. You know, in case he ruins the carpet or something.”

Endeavour: “What are you going to name him?”

Joan: “I’ll know when I see him.”

Endeavour: “Let’s go.”

(Joan walks up to the front desk.)

Joan: “I’d like to see your cats, please.”

Volunteer: “Yes, please. Right this way.”

(She leads them into a room with large cages, benches, and padded cat towers.)

Volunteer: “Let me know if you see any one you’d like.”

Joan: “Right.” (She walks around and looks. She gestures to Endeavour.) “Come on.”

(After some minutes, she settles on a black cat with a white patch on its chest.)

Joan: “What’s her name?”

Volunteer: “That one’s Suzy. She’s ten years old.”

Joan: “I think we’ll take her.”

Endeavour: “Cute little thing.”

Volunteer: “Good choice. She’s already been neutered, and she has her full shots. Let me ring you up.”

(They go to the front desk. Joan fills out the paperwork. She pays the adoption fee. The volunteer gives her a cat carrier, a bag of food, two dishes, a litter box and bag of litter, a new owner’s booklet, and a squeaky toy.) 

Volunteer: “If you make a small donation to the rescue society, you can get your address put on the collar logo.”

Joan: “Put me down for fifty pence.”

Volunteer: “Very nice. Now, I’ll drop this off at the society, and they’ll mail it to you in a couple of days.”

Joan: “Thank you.”

Volunteer: “Anything else you need?”

Joan: “No, thank you.”

Volunteer: “Okay, then. Thank you so much for adopting. You saved a life today.”

Joan: “You’re very welcome.”

(She and Endeavour walk outside. Joan carries the cat. Endeavour carries the bags of supplies.)

Endeavour: “Let’s get the bus. We have a train to catch to London, later on.”

Joan: “Oh, that’s right. Today’s the day.”

(They get the bus back to Joan’s flat. They get out, and walk the last few blocks.)

(Joan opens the door.)

Thursday: “Hello! What’s that you’ve got there?”

Joan: “A new friend. Meet Suzy.”

Thursday: “Well, I’ll be.”

(Joan sets down the carrier. Endeavour puts down the bags of supplies.)

Thursday: “There’s my kitty. That’s it.” (He pets the cat. Suzy looks up and meows.)

(The baby, in its carrier on the couch, looks with wide eyes.)

(Joan fills one dish with food, and the other with water.)

Joan: “Suzy, come here.”

(Suzy walks over and begins to nibble from the food.)

Endeavour: “I say we should leave about five o’clock, to get to London on time.”

Joan: “Okay then.”

(They play with the cat.)

(Cut to: It’s time to leave. Thursday gives them money for a taxi.)

Thursday: “No need to worry. Joseph will be in good hands.”

Joan: “Surely.” (She kisses her father goodbye.)

(Endeavour and Joan call a taxi. They take it to the train station.)

(Joan buys round-trip tickets to London.)

(They go to wait at a bench by the track.)

(Endeavour puts an arm around Joan’s shoulders.)

Endeavour: “One day, I’ll tell you what happened to me.”

Joan: “I hope you do.”

(The train arrives. They get on. They smile.)

(The train pulls into London. They get off, and walk the rest of the way to the hall.)

(There is a huge line of people, waiting to get in. The marquee reads, ‘Led Zeppelin, with special guests.’)

(At last, the line begins to move. People at the front of the line hand in their tickets.)

Endeavour: “I brought these.” (He takes out two pairs of earplugs.) “They may help.”

Joan: “Don’t mind if I do.” (She takes a pair from him.)

(They reach the front of the line. The security guard checks them in.)

(The crowd cheers as the curtain rises, and the first opening band takes the stage.)

(Cut to: The end of the night. An amazing show. They both walk with the crowd, out of the hall.)

Endeavour (rushing to catch up to Joan): “Hey, wait a minute!”

Joan: “That was incredible.”

Endeavour: “Back home, next?”

Joan: “Sure.”

(They walk down the street.)

Endeavour: “I think we were the only people in there dressed in business casual.”

Joan: “Yeah. If only I could have talked you into wearing a t-shirt and jeans.”

Endeavour: “Maybe, sometime.” (He smiles.)

(They get back on the train, and lean on each other for the ride home. Joan hums the melody of ‘Long Tall Sally.’)

 

Act Five, Scene Five

(November. Early morning on a Friday. At the station, in the break room. Just before the morning meeting.)

(For the first time in months, the group of detectives – Morse, Lewis, and Strange – find themselves together again. They have been working other cases.)

Endeavour: “Good morning.”

Strange: “Hi.”

Lewis: “’Lo.”

Strange (to Endeavour): “How’s the baby?”

Endeavour: “He’s doing great. Five months old.” (He takes a picture out of his wallet.) “See?”

Strange: “I never dreamed you’d turn out so… normal.”

Endeavour: “Thanks... I think...” (To Lewis:) “Why are you looking at the wall?”

Lewis: “I’m not here.”

Endeavour: “You seem to be.”

(Lewis mutters something else and gets up. He walks out into the hall.)

Endeavour: “Well, I’ll be.”

Strange: “At least he’s getting married. When are you?”

Endeavour: “Excuse me?”

Strange: “It’s this weekend.”

Endeavour: “Oh. I’d congratulate him, but he just left.”

Strange: “Well.” (He sips his coffee.) “I guess your girl is losing hope.”

Endeavour: “What did you say?”

Strange: “You asked her, what, almost a year ago?”

Endeavour (frowning): “What’s that got to do with anything?”

Strange: “Oh well, you’ll see.” (He drinks again.) “I went to see my girl’s stone this weekend.”

Endeavour (quietly): “I’m sorry.”

Strange: “Yeah. Her mother was there.” (He turns away, and winces to keep from crying.)

Endeavour (awkwardly): “Well, just-”

Strange: “You never did ask to come with me.”

Endeavour: “Well, I wish-”

Strange: “I don’t think you do. You don’t like thinking painful thoughts. But you were there that night. When the crash happened.”

Endeavour: “Hey. Try some tipple next time. I hear it helps you Anglicans out.” (He smiles.)

Strange: “And what’s a Quaker if he doesn’t smoke, drink to excess, and have sex?”

Endeavour (frowning): “Hey!”

Strange: “If I were you, I’d tell your girl I was afraid to do anything. Just straight-out tell her. You owe her that much.”

Endeavour (getting angry): “Why is that any of your business?”

Strange: “I don’t know. I just don’t like seeing anyone get hurt.”

Endeavour: “And why – is that-”

Strange: “You don’t have a great history of being aware of what the other person is thinking.” (He finishes the coffee and throws away his cup.) “Just try it, man, just once?” (He gets in Endeavour’s face.) “You’re lost. You’re going to die alone.” (He leaves the room.)

(Endeavour stares after him.)

(Later on in the day. Endeavour goes to get a sandwich from the canteen.)

(He pays and takes his seat. Before he can start to eat, he notices PC Barrow sitting close by.)

Endeavour: “Hello.”

Ronald: “Hi.”

Endeavour: “How’ve you been?”

Ronald: “I’m hanging on.”

Endeavour: “Are you still on – what was it – foot patrol?” (He smirks.)

Ronald: “It’s a living.” (He frowns, and sips his coffee.)

Endeavour: “Oh. I didn’t mean anything by it.”

Ronald: “Obviously you did.”

Endeavour: “Don’t take it that-”

Ronald: “Good day, sir.” (He throws away his cup and leaves the room.)

(Endeavour stands up and watches where Ronald has just gone.)

(Cut to: The end of shift. The detectives begin to grab their coats and go.)

Endeavour: “I hear it’s going to be a harsh winter. They’re predicting lots of snow.”

Jim: “Well, we’ve got about six weeks to go.”

Endeavour: “Yeah.” (He buttons up his coat.) “Are you still not, ah, seeing anyone?” (He smiles.)

Jim (pause): “I don’t think I really want to tell you that.”

Endeavour: “Come on.” (He smirks again.)

Jim: “No.”

Endeavour: “No, you’re not seeing anybody, or no, you’re not telling me?”

Jim: “Yes.”

Endeavour: “Good grief, it’s like pulling teeth with you.”

(Jim turns and stares at Endeavour with intensity.)

Jim: “For God’s sake. I was sitting next to her when she died. And you were there, too. In the next fucking car.”

Endeavour (blinking): “That’s right, I guess I blocked it out of my mind.”

Jim: “Believe me, I’d like to-”

(He growls and makes a fist with his right hand. He draws it back. Then, he drops it.)

Jim: “Tell Inspector Thursday I said hello. If you see him.”

Endeavour: “Uh, yes.”

Jim: “I’ll never understand – no. Not going to.”

Endeavour: “What do you mean?”

Jim: “How she wound up with someone like you.”

Endeavour: “Really?” 

Jim: “Yeah. I never thought Thursday was going to let her out from under his wings, but I guess...”

Endeavour: “How do you mean?”

Jim: “I mean, he was treating her like she was still a teenager, but obviously, she was not.”

Endeavour: “I don’t really talk to him about that.”

Jim: “That bodes well.”

Endeavour: “What do you mean?”

Jim: “You’re always going to be more loyal to your job than her. Which means her father. He’s become your father. Which in a weird way, makes you and her brother and sister. And that’s why you can’t bring yourself to marry her.”

Endeavour: “One of your weirder theories. I can’t believe I’m hearing this.”

Jim: “Just tell me, man. How do you feel when you’re with her?”

Endeavour (laughing): “Come on.”

Jim: “No, seriously. Because if you don’t know by now, you’re lost.”

Endeavour (long pause): “Alive, like I’ve never been before.”

Jim: “Good luck to you.”

(Jim walks out of the room.)

(Endeavour slowly walks down the hall.)

(He hears voices coming the other way: it’s Thursday and Joan.)

Thursday: “And the Bexel case, and the Stevens case, and then there was the-”

(Endeavour walks up to them. He smiles.)

Thursday: “Oh, hello. How are you?”

Endeavour: “Hello.” (He nods at Joan.) “How did you get here?”

Joan: “The bus.”

Endeavour: “Who’s watching Joseph?”

Joan: “Joyce. As usual.” (She looks puzzled.)

Endeavour: “Take it easy, I knew that.”

Joan (still confused): “Oh?”

Endeavour (to Thursday): “Ah, why don’t we go home?” (He smiles a pained smile, and walks out to the parking lot.)

(They all get in Thursday’s car. He starts up.)

Thursday: “I’m a little tired.”

Endeavour: “You want me to take over, sir?”

Thursday: “No.”

(He gets out on the road. He turns up the radio a little bit louder.)

Thursday: “I might go to the pictures tomorrow. I haven’t been out for myself in a long time.”

Endeavour: “What are you going to see?”

Thursday: “Ah, whatever they have going. I’m so bored, I don’t want to choose.”

(Joan puts her hand lightly on Endeavour’s leg. His lips curl, ever so slightly.)

Endeavour: “Mind putting on a station for me, sir?”

Thursday: “Sure.” (He finds the classical station.)

Endeavour: “Thank you.”

(Joan takes her hand away. Endeavour leans his head on her shoulder.)

(They arrive at the flat. Everyone goes in.)

Joyce: “Hi!” (She stands, carrying the child.)

Endeavour (to Joseph): “Hey, sprout.” (He smiles, and picks up the boy.)

(The cat walks around everyone’s feet.)

Joan: “I’ll start dinner.”

Endeavour: “What is it, tonight?”

Joan: “Pasta.”

Endeavour: “With what?”

Joan: “Did you want something else?”

Endeavour: “Well, what do you have?”

Joan: “Eggplant, I guess.”

Endeavour: “That’ll do.”

(Cut to: Joan is in the kitchen. She has prepared the eggplant. She drains the pasta and scoops it onto dishes.)

Joan: “Come, eat.”

(Everyone settles in to eat.)

Joyce: “Very good again.”

Joan: “Thank you.”

Thursday: “I was watching this thing on the news the other day. They say the trains are going to get so fast, we’ll be able to go across country in twenty minutes, like they do in Japan.”

Endeavour: “Really? It may take a little longer than that.”

Thursday: “Oh, yes. I hope they don’t do that with the buses. Hate to see the crashes multiply.”

Endeavour: “Ah, let’s talk about something else.”

Thursday: “Yes. They put this new sculpture across the street from the station. I’m not sure if I like it. It has a large circle, like a UFO, or something.”

Endeavour: “Are you still scared of them, sir?”

Thursday: “Well, I’ve never seen one, but yeah, I guess they would be pretty frightening.”

(Cut to: After dinner. The family relaxes on the couch. They watch TV.)

Announcer: “...And that’s the wrap-up of the weather. Everybody, have a good weekend.”

Endeavour: “Oh, that’s right, tomorrow’s Saturday. I forgot.”

Joan: “We have a wedding to go to.”

Endeavour: “That’s right.”

Announcer: “And now, it’s time for the late-night movie.”

Thursday: “Well, I’m going to get home and get to bed. Joyce, I’d be happy to drop you off. By the way, how are you liking your new flat?”

Joyce: “It’s better than my old one. A little bigger, in fact. And it’s very close to all the buses I need to take.”

Endeavour: “Bye, now.” (He kisses his sister on the cheek.)

Joyce: “Goodbye.” (She waves. She and Thursday walk out.)

(The cat walks into its bed, and curls up to sleep.)

(Joan busies herself putting the baby to bed. Then she walks into the master bedroom.)

(She sits on a chair in the corner. Endeavour gets undressed, down to his underclothes. Then he turns to see her.)

Endeavour (slowly): “You all right?”

Joan: “I don’t know.”

Endeavour: “Come here.” (He smiles briefly, and sits on the bed. He puts a hand on the space next to himself.)

Joan: “Let me get my-”

Endeavour: “You don’t have to.” (He smiles.)

(She crosses to him, and lies down.)

(She puts her arms above her head.)

(He smiles faintly, and leans down to kiss her on the stomach. He lies there, with her body under him. He puts his arms around her midsection. She reaches down to stroke his hair.)

Joan: “I wonder what it’ll be like when Joseph grows up. What will he like, what will he believe in, what will he have?”

Endeavour: “I know what I want him to have.”

Joan: “What?”

Endeavour: “A sister.”

(He pulls himself up to be eye to eye with her. He kisses her.)

(Later…)

(She lies drowsily in his arms.)

(Cut to: The next day. They both get up, to get ready for the wedding.)

(Joan is ready first. She waits in the living room.)

(Someone knocks on the door. It’s her father.)

Thursday: “Hello?”

Joan: “Oh, hi, Dad. Come on in.”

(He does.)

Joan: “The babysitter should be here very soon.”

Thursday: “Good.”

Joan: “Want something to drink?”

Thursday: “No, thanks. I want to wait until I get to the wedding.”

Joan: “Okay.”

(There is another knock on the door.)

Joan: “Who is it?”

Danielle: “It’s me.”

(Joan smiles.)

Joan: “Welcome.”

Danielle: “Thank you. I understand you have a wedding to go to.”

Joan: “Yes. Let me show you around the place.”

(She conducts a brief tour of the flat, showing Danielle where the baby’s supplies are.)

Joan: “You don’t have to nurse. Here are the bottles I prepared.”

Danielle: “Thank you. That’ll do great.”

Joan: “Feel free to watch telly, if you like.”

Danielle: “Yes, thanks.”

(Endeavour comes out. He is wearing his old uniform.)

(Joan just stares.)

Endeavour: “How do I look?”

(Joan murmurs something to herself.)

Endeavour (to Thursday): “Ready to go?”

Thursday: “Yes.” (To Danielle:) “Goodbye now, miss.”

Danielle: “Thank you.”

(The three of them walk out to the car. Thursday gets underway.)

(In some minutes, they arrive at the church. They walk in.)

(The church is adorned with flowers. It is crowded with attendees.)

Thursday (to the usher): “Friends of the groom.”

(The usher nods, and points to some empty seats. The three sit down.)

(The priest and deacon stand in the altar area.)

(In short time, the groom approaches the altar. He stands in front of it.)

(The organ player begins a hymn. The bride walks in.)

(She is beautiful. The groom looks back, to get a glimpse, and is astonished.)

(She reaches him. They stand together.)

Martin: “Dearly beloved, we are gathered here today...”

(A series of shots takes us through the ceremony. There is the recital of vows, the presentation of rings, and then the bride and groom walk together back down the aisle, while the crowd throws birdseed.)

(The bride and groom stand out on the steps of the church, while the photographer takes pictures.)

Thursday: “Lovely day. We’d better walk out.”

(They walk outside, and wait with everyone else.)

Thursday: “I’ll get the car.”

(He pulls up. At last, the crowd is ready to leave for the reception hall.)

(They arrive at the hall. Everyone waits to get in.)

(Endeavour cranes to see over the people in front of him.)

(The line begins to move.)

(At last, they approach the front. They all present their invitations to the concierge.)

(Inside, it takes quite a number of minutes to find their seats.)

Thursday: “Fancy spread.”

(The tables are beautifully decorated, with cloth swirls, and plates for the meal.)

(At last, the couple approaches.)

Announcer: “Ladies and gentlemen, Mr. and Mrs. Robert and Valerie Lewis.”

(A thunderous round of applause. The couple blush and smile.)

(Brief shot of the dinner getting underway.)

(Then: the dance. The couple take the first dance together. Afterward, the floor crowds up with others.)

(There is a DJ. He plays 50s pop songs.)

(Thursday dances with his daughter. Morse dances with his sister.)

(Then, Endeavour smiles hands off Joyce, who dances with Jim. Morse himself steps over to Thursday.)

Endeavour: “May I?” (He blushes and smiles.)

Thursday: “Don’t mind.” (He hands her off.)

(They slowly begin to dance.)

Endeavour: “That’ll be us, someday.”

(Joan smiles, and nestles her head on his shoulder.)

Endeavour: “When I was in the hospital, I spent a lot of time thinking about you.”

Joan: “I thought about you, too.”

Endeavour: “I missed everything. The way you smell, the way you taste...”

(She blushes.)

Joan: “I love you.”

Endeavour: “Always.”

(Cut to:)

(Her flat, late at night.)

(Camera pans slowly over the front room, and into the master bedroom.)

(The lovers sleep in one another’s arms, under the moonlight.)

 

END


End file.
